It's Just a Looking Glass
by NekoIllustrations
Summary: They say twins are connected by some unbreakable bond, but he knew better: he knew that he had been cast aside, left alone to become his replacement. No one would tell him otherwise. Infernus's Blade King had a heart of ice; no one could melt it, no one.
1. Just a Job

**AN: So yeah, rewrite of the old fic. I hope you guys like it, I already do ^_^. Anyway, enjoy and expect the rating to go up later. Reviews are always appreciated, but if you're going to flame, get yer ass outta here.**

**1: Just a Job**

_I want you to do something for me._

It hadn't been a request, but a demand.

_You see, out of boredom, I decided to devote my time to a little project; however, after about a month, I grew tired of it._

It was just a toy that was no longer wanted.

_Even so, I find this project a little too precious to throw away; thus I am placing it in your capable hands. Can you handle the task?_

Even though it had been rephrased as a question, it didn't change the fact that he really had had no say in the matter. He was to care for this thing, nourish it, protect it like it was his own, until it was either completed or its previous master wanted it back. Acceptance on his part was unavoidable; he was born a slave and would die a slave, so there was no point in trying to resist. Besides, there was no need for him to form any emotional attachment to the thing, since it didn't really belong to him in the first place. It was just a job that he had been chosen for.

Just a job.

"_Are you alright?"_

The faint voice brought him out of his reverie. He brought his head up sharply and focused his gaze on the object in the far corner of his room. It was the same as ever; with its delicate silver frame twisting and curving to create intricate patterns of intermixing thorns and leaves. The smooth, almost liquid-like, glass that it supported reflected the moonlight filtering from the window, making it dance on the walls in a flurry of crimson.

"This is certainly a rare occurrence" he said, rising from his spot on the edge of the bed and walking over to the mirror. "You almost never call to me."

He was greeted by silence, making him sigh as he ran a finger over one of the silver leaves. "Is something wrong? Do you want me to come?"

Again, there was only silence.

"I hope you're decent" he said warningly, "because I'm coming now."

As per usual, he first stretched out his hand, carefully sliding it through the glass before stepping completely into the mirror. Even now, he was unsure as to why he did this. Perhaps it had sprung from some strange paranoia that had led him believe that there would a come a time where he would no longer be able to pass through the glass at will. It could have also been to reinsure himself that he would also be able to leave when the time came. Although both possibilities were certainly plausible, he still could not tell which one, if either, was the right reason.

His booted feet did not feel the cold marble beneath them as they carried him across the chamber, though they did echo in what was almost deafening silence. The room itself was lit only by the dim glow of the large chandelier above and the silver moonlight coming in through the large window facing him.

In front of this window sat a roman-style lounger. The white sheet draped over it almost seemed to glow compared to the crimson cushion and black wood that it partially covered. The way it cascaded haphazardly to the floor, meeting the marble in a seamless slope, held for him a strange sort of grace that he felt he would never be able to explain properly.

The figure on the lounger shifted as he came closer. Pale legs, previously stretched out, now bent and moved themselves to the floor. He vaguely wondered if the equally pale feet felt any chill as they touched the black stone, seeing as they were very obviously bare.

Blonde hair moved next, falling in gentle waves down the delicate back and curved shoulders. Thin, gentle hands supported her weight as she moved to make room for him, her dark green eyes never once looking up from the floor.

"It's polite for a young woman to greet her company when it arrives" he chided as he took his seat next to her. Teaching her etiquette was just another part of his job.

"My apologies" she said quietly. Finally, she looked up at him, saying "thank you for coming, Luze." After a pause, she repeated her question from before: "are you alright?"

Luze looked down at her, slightly annoyed by the concern he saw in her Viersen irises. In fact, the one thing Luze disliked about this girl was her eyes; they stirred things inside of him that he had shut down long ago. As those things began to move again, he turned away from her, fixing his eyes ahead while his expression remained as cold and reserved as ever.

"Why do you ask?"

She clenched the hands in her lap. "You just seemed… like you were thinking about something unpleasant" was her meek reply. That was something else that annoyed him: her weakness. She was a member of a race of warriors, weakness wasn't even an option for beings like her. And yet, there she sat, practically trembling in his presence; it was almost shameful.

But her words had raised a point that he found worth thinking about. Unpleasant? He didn't find any overwhelming joy in his task, no, but he didn't exactly dislike it either. Taking care of this girl was simply part of his routine; it fell in the same area as eating and sleeping: perfunctory, mundane tasks that really meant nothing to him. No, he really couldn't consider it unpleasant.

"It wasn't anything unpleasant" he said. "It wasn't a particularly enjoyable subject either, but it wasn't anything terrible. I was simply reflecting on some things, but you need not concern yourself with them."

"I see" was all she said. There was a long moment of silence after that, in which Luze was certain that she wanted to say something. He waited for a few more moments before finally asking her what was wrong.

There was a rather long pause before she replied. "It's nothing" she said. "I'm fine."

"Well, if that's the case, then I'll take my leave." As he made to go, he felt her grip on his sleeve. He looked back down at her, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. "What is it?"

"My apologies" she said again. She opened her mouth to speak further, but soon closed it, her expression a mixture of frustration and what looked like it could have been pain.

Luze sat down again. Smoothing her hair back from her face, he said "your master won't tolerate this behavior; speak up if you want to say something." His tone wasn't harsh, nor was it kind; it was emotionless.

Burying her face in his sleeve, her voice was muffled as she said "So much… so much is wrong."

The damp feeling on his arm alerted him to the fact that she was crying. Her voice and body trembled as she clung to him and quietly begged him to stay. He let her carry on for a few moments before gently pushing her away.

"What exactly is troubling you?" he demanded, titling her head up to look him in the eye. Her mouth was parted slightly, revealing the small fangs behind her lips; even the distinguishing feature of their race seemed so small and feeble when it was a part of her.

She shook her head. "So much" she repeated, her voice rising as fresh tears spilled down her face. "It's been so long that I've lost count of the days I've been in here. And day by day, things disappear from this room, but I can't remember what was there when it does so. I feel like I'm losing my mind!"

Luze cast his eyes around the room. Sure enough, what had once been filled with numerous objects was now barren, completely deserted space. The only things remaining were the lounger and a large item covered by a black curtain. The item was twice as tall as he was and gave off a terribly forbidding aura. Luze couldn't explain why, but he felt that, were he to so much as touch this object, he'd unleash something terrible.

However, the fact that the room had become so desolate was, ironically, a good sign, for it meant that his task was almost complete. Once that large item disappeared, this girl would be allowed to leave, allowed to set foot back into world where she truly belonged.

"You're not insane" he said. "The disappearances are proof that your growth is almost complete." He stood again, this time with the full intent of going; if he stayed much longer, his contractor would wonder where he was. "I must leave, but I will return" he said.

"Promise me?"

He looked back at her, already half-way across the chamber, and nodded. It wasn't really out of any actually desire to make such a ridiculous pledge, but it was one of her whims that he had been forced to comply with since the beginning. It would only cause trouble if he didn't swear to come back, so, each and every time, he acquiesced.

"I promise" he said, then turned and strode out of the room and a moment later he was back in his own.

Placing his cap on the bedside table, he sank to the floor, utterly exhausted. Every time he came and went from the mirror, there was a part of him that wanted to destroy it and yet another that wanted to go back. Restraining both of these impulses took quite the toll on him at times. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the wall with a sigh, wishing both of those desires would disappear from him and leave his mind at peace.

He started as something moved under his arm. However what he saw when he opened his eyes was nothing to be concerned about. He placed his hand on the great wolf's head that had been placed in his lap, burying it in his steely grey fur. "I thought you had gone to sleep long ago, Fen" he said, addressing the animal in a mild tone.

The familiar turned his large dark crimson eyes on his master and let out a small whine. Luze knew full well it was the sound Fen made when he was concerned and scratched behind the wolf's ear reassuringly. "I'm fine, Fen, just tired. It's late, so we should both get some rest anyway."

After the wolf moved his head, Luze stood and removed his uniform, changing instead into a pair of cotton pants and a simple black robe. He removed the cord holding back his long hair, preferring to let it hang loose as he slept. Once everything was put away and his room was in order, he stepped toward his bed, at the foot of which Fen was already lying, but a knock on his door made him stop short. However, upon opening it, he did not find his contractor, as he had expected, but someone much, much more powerful.

"Your Excellency" he said, kneeling before the man.

"At ease, Luze Crosszeria," the man said, striding past him once he had stood again. He remained a respectful distance away as his guest sat down at his desk, crossing his legs and looking at him expectantly.

There was an awkward pause before he dared to ask, "For what do I have the honor of hosting the great Demon King?"

The king smiled. "I think you know, Blade King," he said. "I want to know how my little project is coming along. Has everything disappeared?"

Luze shook his head. "There is one item left" he said. "However, after that there will be nothing."

"Excellent" the king said. "After it's gone, she will be completely ours, a true member of Infernus."

"Forgive me, sir, but I think she may need some extra tutelage even after she is restored" Luze said. "She has none of our basic instincts and is far too timid. I do not know if this is a reflection on my poor teaching skills, but I feel it may become a hindrance in the future if not rectified soon."

The king shook his head. "No, this is all according to plan" he said, a sly grin spreading across his lips. "She is not to become a fighter, but my personal attendant." To Luze's surprise, he laughed. "This will make that ungrateful dog's body writhe in anger. I cannot wait to see how he'll react once the ritual is complete."

"Sir?"

The king stood. "It's nothing" he said. "I was just thinking out loud." He placed a hand on Luze's shoulder. "Good work, you've shown far more promise than that brother of yours. If you weren't already contracted to Reiga, I'd have you replace him."

"I am not worthy of such praise" Luze said quietly, bowing as the king passed him on his way out.

"You are" he said. "Good night."

"Good night, your majesty."

Once he was gone, Luze retreated to his bed, not caring that his cap fell off as he fell against the embroidered duvet. Gazing up at the crimson hangings of the four-poster, he sighed.

"According to plan?" Far be it from him to criticize royalty, but Luze just could not see how such weakness could possibly please the great king. The girl was far too fragile to be a part of them, of the Duras, there was no way she would survive outside the mirror.

"No, don't think about it" he mumbled, rolling over to his side and pushing himself up into a sitting position. "It's not your business; you're part of Brand Zess, remember? You have no right to pry into the fares of those above when you are the lowest of the low. You are eternally a slave and you will obey without question."

That's right, no questions. Forget the girl, forget her future, she means nothing to you. She's just a chore, something you must take care of until told to do otherwise. It's your job, that's it; it's just a job.

Just a job.


	2. Memories in Solomon's Keep

**READ THE NOTES BELOW PLEASE!**

**Hey guys, hope you like the story so far and thanks for the support ^_^ **

**A couple things that I think I made need to clarify; One: the whole "Blade King" thing. I'm currently reading/ translating the Japanese Manga for my own personal delight ;) and I'll let you guys know now that the whole Yuki-kidnapping situation from the anime didn't happen in the manga. Instead of meeting Luze in Reiga's castle, he shows up during the conflict with Cadenza (that is in both anime AND manga). At that point, Cadenza decides to behave because he doesn't want to have to go up against the combined force of Luka and Luze. However, he uses their nicknames, referring to Luka as "Bloody Cross" and Luze as "Kenou" Luze. The Kanji for "Kenou" translate as follows: with "Ken" as "Sword" (i.e. Blade) and "Ou" as "King", hence Blade King.**

*****There may be little notes like this one (above) throughout the course of the story, so I urge you all to pay attention to the Author's Notes so that you don't miss anything important. I won't always put an alert beforehand.***  
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**Now let's get the plot moving shall we?**

**~2: Memories in Solomon's Keep~**

Dinner and the Twilight Mansion was a quiet affair that evening: Shuusei had extra work to do for the Morals Committee and Hostuma had gone to "help" him (i.e. sit on his partner's bed while playing on his portable game consul), thus having taken their dinners up to their rooms; Touko and Tsukumo were out on a mission to track down a mid-villain duo that had been wreaking havoc somewhere in downtown Tokyo, thereby not being present for dinner; and Senshiro had to stay late at the university in order to finish up a project and Kuroto had decided to stay with him, meaning they would be taking their dinner in the campus dining hall.

And so it was that one God's Light was left to a rather solitary evening meal. Well, not completely solitary, for his ever faithful guard and his familiar were present. However, given that said guard rarely needed to eat, he was currently occupied with his usual habit of leaning up against the wall and gazing slightly out the window. Meanwhile, the puff ball that was Sodom hovered by his master for a time, then glided over to said almost-solitary teenager and settled comfortably on top of his head, promptly going to sleep.

"It's so peaceful" the boy mused. "You would never have guessed that we had been fighting so fiercely only three weeks ago."

His faithful guard looked over from his post. "I suppose you could say that," he said. "but I don't think it'll last much longer."

"Why do you say that?"

"The wind is blowing in an ominous way; it makes me think it's only a matter of time before Reiga comes after us again."

The boy didn't reply, instead thinking over his guard's words while he continued to eat. With the dining hall completely devoid of other occupants, the rest of dinner passed by in almost complete silence. That is, until a certain necromancer stepped in.

"Yuki, can you come with me for a bit?"

Yuki nodded, rising from his seat to follow Takashiro, Luka following. At first, he was under the impression that they were headed towards the library; given the route they were taking, it seemed like the right assumption. However, Takashiro soon diverted left and led them out into the courtyard. It was still only mid-October, yet the days had already begun to grow shorter and the half-darkness overhead would soon be complete.

So preoccupied was he with the stars, Yuki was only just in time to stop himself from running into the Giou Clan head, who had stopped abruptly before the large fountain. The basin of water displayed the distorted reflections of the stars with an almost ethereal beauty as the liquid shifted and danced with the cascade from the swan's open mouth.

"Yuki, what I am about to show you is something that I've kept secret for over two years." Takashiro spoke with the utmost seriousness, his expression one of greatest sobriety. "I haven't even told the Zweilts of this place."

"What do you mean?" Yuki was more than just a little confused by the older man's words. They were in the courtyard, a place often frequented by both himself and the Zweilts, not to mention Luka, who was Duras of all things.

"Just watch." Takashiro raised his hand, extending his index and middle fingers while curling the rest to his palm. Yuki heard him mutter something under his breath, but it was in a language he didn't understand, though he did recognize it as the same one Luka used to recite spells.

Yuki let out a startled gasp as the fountain, quite literally, moved, revealing a stone spiral staircase that descended below the ground until it disappeared into darkness. With a wave of Takashiro's hand, he and Luka proceeded him down the stairs only to be engulfed in complete darkness once the fountain had slid back into place.

"No worries" Takashiro chuckled. Torches flickered to life with a snap of the necromancer's fingers, their blue flames casting an eerie glow on the stones. When they had reached the bottom, they were greeted by a pair of large, black double doors. Their size as well, as that of their great golden handles, gave off a forbidding aura that the large gold chains spanning across these great wooden barriers only served to accentuate.

"What is this place?" Yuki asked, both awed and somewhat daunted by the entrance. The doors and chains made him wonder if it was alright to even consider going forward; at the same time, however, he couldn't help but be curious as to what lay beyond. What sort of secret deserved to be locked away like this for over two years?

"This is Solomon's Keep" Takashiro explained. "It is a place that can only be accessed through my powers as keeper of The Book of Solomon. I had originally intended for it to be a shelter should the mansion itself ever be attacked, but it is currently serving a different purpose. It will be easier to understand once you see for yourself, so, please, follow me."

He placed his hand on the chains, which slid back with the utterance of another spell. With one more, the giant doors opened inward to admit them into a long corridor lit by the same sort of torches as the staircase. The hall was carved completely from black marble, making it hard to see despite the glow from the flames that danced off the stone's mirror-like surface.

They continued on their way for some time before finally entering what looked like a large stadium. Above, in the large domed ceiling, was a set of three terraces, set one above the other and lining what looked to be a series of identical doors. From his place in the arena, Yuki found it hard to decipher the exact purpose of these doors, but Takashiro soon told him to pay it no mind.

"It's for housing in case there's an emergency" was all he said. "Our business is not here, though, so let's keep going."

They passed through this considerably brighter area back into the dim matrix of hallways. After a few more moments of walking, Yuki found himself wondering just how large this underground complex actually was. He was on the verge of asking when Takashiro stopped them in front of another set of double doors. However, this silver entryway was considerably smaller that of its black counterpart and it was secured only by a single magic seal.

An ancient operation room, there really was no better way to describe it than that. The room was relatively spacious, with several bookcases lining the walls, packed to the brim with all sorts of medical texts. The light overhead shone with a soft silver glow, falling gently on the dais in the center and illuminating its sleeping occupant. It wasn't until he took a second glance that Yuki actually recognized the figure.

"Kai!" he gasped, hurrying over to her. He found himself blushing slightly as he finally got a good look at her. She was dressed in a sleeveless white shift, giving him a pretty good view of just how much she'd changed in their time apart.

She had grown taller, though that was to be expected; standing, she probably would have been level with him or perhaps even a bit taller. He noticed that she had grown into her limbs as well; she was no longer the lanky girl from his childhood, but a fully developed young woman.

As he had expected, her skin was several shades lighter than his own and her hair was as black as ever. However, what surprised him was how long the latter had become. Before, she had resolutely kept it a precise two inches past her shoulders, no more, no less, but now, were it unbound from it's current plait, Yuki guessed that it would have easily fallen to her hips.

"You know her?" it was the first time Luka had spoken since they'd left the dining hall. When Yuki turned to him and nodded, he asked "how? She's been living in the Twilight Mansion for over five years and I believe she was living in Shinjuku before that as well."

"I know" Yuki replied quietly. "Her father owns one of top hospitals in Tokyo and her mother is a retired Broadway actress- I think Kai told me she once played in Phantom of the Opera." He sighed. "She used to live near the Asahi orphanage and we grew up together until her father got promoted. That was about seven years ago, though, and I haven't really heard from her since. The last letter I got was about how her brother had really gotten into classical music and that was about a year after she'd moved here."

"The Giou Clan took her in not long after that" Takashiro explained. "Even though she was still considerably young, her powers were too precious to leave in the care of her parents; thus, like Kuroto, we took her in early to protect her. However, as you can see, our efforts didn't completely pay off."

"W-what happened?" he asked, placing one of his hands on top of Kai's. "She doesn't look injured, so why is she like this? And why is being strapped down?"

It was true; padded leather straps held his childhood friend down by the wrists, ankles, and upper arms, yet she was completely motionless. And, even without them, how could she move? There was an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth and an IV in both of her arms; it was more than obvious that her body had sustained terrible damage, the only question was… what?

Takashiro sighed, smoothing a few stray locks of hair from his face before speaking. "The straps are merely a precaution against the seizures" he said, his expression graver than ever before. "However, the recent lack of fits is what's worrying me. You see, every time the seizures took over was a sign that she was still alive, still struggling to live. Over time, though, the fits became sporadic, not even monthly occurrences, and now they've ceased all together. Her heart is still pumping, but her pulse is weakening by the day."

"If you were losing her, why did you wait this long to call Yuki here?" Luka asked slowly. "That seems like a bad move, Takashiro, considering who she is."

That really caught Yuki's attention. "What do you mean, Luka? Kai's a Zweilt, right?"

The Duras nodded. "But her case is slightly different from the others" he said. Takashiro can give you a better explanation, but I think he needs you to something more important first."

The Giou head nodded. "Yuki, you may not have noticed it yet, but you've been holding onto her hand for quite some time now haven't you?"

Yuki blinked. "Y-yes, I suppose I have" he said, blushing again slightly. "She's my friend, you know, so… I guess it was just instinctive…"

"I'm not criticizing you" Takashiro said gently. "I suppose I phrased it badly. What I was trying to get you to realize was that you can't see her memories despite the prolonged contact. I'm right, aren't I?"

He was right; Yuki hadn't noticed it before, but he really hadn't been able to see her memories, but wouldn't that be because she was unconscious? He'd never used his ability on someone who wasn't awake, but Takashiro certainly seemed to be implying that such a thing was indeed possible.

"I see you didn't even know you had that ability" Takashiro said with a small smile. "That's good, because it means you've never let your curiosity get the better of you." He turned back to Kai, continuing on his earlier point. "You can't see into her mind because of the dark power consuming her body. The blood seal left on her skin was made by an extremely powerful Duras, possibly even a general class."

Smoothing back the bangs covering Kai's left eye, he revealed a pentacle not unlike the ones Yuki had seen in Luka's magic spell circles. However, unlike the other blood seals he'd scene on Duras victims, this one was raised and knotted like a particularly bad scar. The skin around it was a sickly reddish-black that spread almost to her ear and down to her jaw, turning what had once been half of a beautiful face into a mottled, almost decaying, mess.

Yuki found himself taking a step back in spite of himself; the sight was so repulsive that it was beginning to make his stomach clench painfully. After a few deep breaths and a comforting had on the shoulder from Luka, he was able to compose himself again. He looked back down at his friend, saying "Takashiro, is it really possible for me to heal her? That's why you brought me, isn't it?"

Takashiro nodded. "Given how rapidly your powers are increasing, I think it's possible that you'll be able to handle something like this. However, if it starts to become too much, I want you to stop immediately, understand? This injury is on a whole different level from your experiences with the other Zweilts' because of how long it's been in place and the level of darkness inside of it. We can take it in sessions, so there's no need to push yourself to your limits, alright?"

"Got it" Yuki replied, stretching his hand out over Kai's eye and watching as the familiar glow enveloped the wound. A sharp gasp escaped his lips as the pain began assaulting him almost immediately.

"Yuki!" Luka said quickly, taking a step forward. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine" Yuki replied, his breath hitching a bit as he steadied himself. "It was just a shock, that's all. But…" he looked down at his friend, his expression shifting to one of utmost seriousness. "this wound… it's penetrated so far. It's like it's not even eating at her body, but at her very soul; I can just barely sense her subconscious underneath the miasma. You were right Takashiro, her will to live is pretty much the only thing keeping her alive at this point. However, given how close it's come to her heart, I'd say you'd only have had a few more days before you'd have lost her."

Takashiro looked shocked for only a second before a small smile crept over his lips. "You've progressed well" he said, then moved to Kai's right in order to check the restraints on her arms and legs. "I don't know what will happen as you move deeper" he explained as he secured them. "And Luka, what exactly has you so agitated?"

"Huh? Luka?" Yuki cast a glance over his shoulder to see that Luka was indeed on edge. Instead of his usual leaning position against the wall, his spine was rigid, like he were standing at military attention. His eyes, too, looked as if they were trying to bore a hole through the floor; something was quite obviously bothering him.

"I could feel it before" the Duras began. "but now that Yuki's started the healing process, it's become even stronger." He clenched the fists at his sides, gritting his teeth as he continued "I know this blood a little too well. There's no mistaking it, but because of it Yuki may not be able to cure that wound."

"What do you mean?" Takashiro demanded sharply. "Who did it and how do you know?"

Luka brought his hand up to his left arm and Yuki could tell he was gripping at the mark under his sleeve. "That man's blood" he said. "is stirring in me." He looked up at Takashiro seriously. "That girl somehow ended up against the Demon King; I don't know how it happened, but I do know what that magic is meant to do."

"Explain" Takashiro said.

"It was as Yuki said before; his blood will continue to penetrate deeper into her body until it fully takes over her heart. Once that happens, her human side will die here and Infernus will have gained a new Duras." He crossed both of his arms as he went on. "It's a nasty piece of magic that was used quite often during the Ancient Wars. New Duras were needed and, what with the ample supply of humans in the world, the first of the great kings seized the opportunity and used this spell to expand his army. I don't know all the details, but it's safe to say that we got to her just in time."

The Giou head swore as Luka finished. "You're right" he agreed. "Yuki may not be able to handle something like that." Looking over at the teen, he said "Remember what I said earlier: if it becomes too much for you, stop."

Yuki nodded. "I know" he said. "but I'm not going to let something like that happen to Kai."

He worked steadily for a long while, ignoring each new stab of pain as he went deeper and deeper in order to extract the dark blood from her system. Once he had finished with the physical damage, however, things began to change. Fragments of memories began assaulting him, entering his minds eye, completely unbidden.

The first scene depicted a younger Kai at her new home in Shinjuku. She was sitting by the bedside of a boy Yuki assumed to be older twin brother. He had never met him before, but Kai had certainly talked about him often enough. The boy groped blindly for his sister's hand before speaking.

_Kai? Will you sing for me?_

_Of course, Ren. What would you like me to sing?_

_I'm tired._

_Then I'll sing a lullaby._

_Thank you, Kai. I can always depend on you. You're such a good little sister._

The next memory was once again Kai and Ren, but this time Kai was on her knees, shaking and clutching at her head with Ren holding her in his arms.

_It's alright, Kai. Calm down, it's alright._

_Get out! Get out! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!_

_Father! Please, come quick! Kai needs help!_

This scene was brief and gave way to a new one before Yuki could see the end of it. This time he was presented with Kai's parents, both sitting in the living room with none other than Takashiro.

_Who are you?_

_My name is Giou Takashiro and I'm hear to help your daughter._

_How can you? I've studied everything in my medical texts, there's nothing that can help with this form of schizophrenia, it's simply too rare. I'm not poisoning her with experimental drugs or sending her to an asylum if that's what you're suggesting._

_I'm suggesting nothing of the sort. And Kaida is not schizophrenic, her powers are in the process of awakening. It's always painful in the beginning, especially when it happens at such a young age. However, if you allow me to take her, I can train her to control those powers._

_Hold on a minute. What… powers?_

Yuki never heard the explanation, the memories were moving too fast now, almost blurring together in a confused mixture of pain, anger, and sadness.

_When are they coming?_

_Soon, dear, soon. They'll take her away to the Twilight mansion this evening._

_I can't wait much longer! She's not our daughter! She's the monster that stole Ren's health! Oh why couldn't I have two healthy children? Why couldn't I have given birth to two HUMANS?_

_Shh. Calm down, sweetheart, calm down, it's alright. We won't have to see her after next week, so just bare with it a little while longer._

_Kai? You sound sad._

_It's nothing, Ren; you need sleep, so please don't worry about it._

_Are you leaving? You have a suitcase next to you, don't you?_

_Yes… I won't hurt you ever again, brother._

"That thing is still there?"

Yuki gasped. This time he wasn't seeing a memory, it was something completely different.

"Yes," the voice was sad, yet it also seemed familiar, though Yuki was pretty sure he hadn't heard it before. His was vision was blocked by some sort of dark mass, but he could just make out the blond figure in the dim light beyond. As for the male voice, though it too sounded familiar, he couldn't see to whom it belonged.

"Have you tried removing the curtain?" the male voice asked, sounding slightly annoyed. "It might make things move more quickly."

The girl shook her head. "It's no good" she said it as if she were on the verge of tears. "No matter how many times I try, I just can't do it. I-I'm too scared of what lies behind it."

The male voice sighed. "Well it doesn't matter, since I'm here on a different matter of business: your master wants to see you. Now, come with me." Yuki saw a hand enter his vision as well as the unmistakable sleeve of the Infernus uniform.

"Come… with you? As in… away from this place?" the girl looked hesitant, but Yuki found his eyes widening as she began to reach for the hand. He didn't know why, but he felt that if this girl left with the man, something terrible was going to happen.

Wait… could that girl be…?

"It's her mirror image." Yuki started as the figure appeared beside him, seemingly out of nowhere. He was taller that Yuki was, dressed in a pair of black dress pants and a black overcoat. Because of the hood, the figure's face was completely concealed in shadow, but it was his words more than his appearance that Yuki was concerned about.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"That girl represents all the fear, hesitance, and general weakness that Kai had kept locked away ever since her childhood" the figure explained. "If she goes with the man in that room, that image will replace the real Kai, who will die where she lies in the human realm. She will be lost forever."

"We have to stop her!" Yuki cried. "But how?"

"Leave it to me" the figure said. "You just focus on using your power to heal what's left of the exterior wound. I promise I won't let her die."

Yuki nodded hesitantly, then found himself looking at the concerned face of Takashiro.

"What happened?" he asked. "Your eyes suddenly went blank. Are you alright?"

"Maybe you should stop for today" Luka suggested.

"I'm fine" Yuki said firmly. "And I can't stop now; If I do, then we'll lose Kai forever." He looked determinedly at Takashiro. "Let me keep going for just a bit longer."

There a pause before Takashiro finally said "Alright, but I'm making you stop if I deem it-!"

A piercing scream erupted from Kai as her face contorted and her back arched in pain. Even with the restraints, both Luka and Takashiro were required to hold her down so Yuki could continue healing her properly. She writhed and thrashed to the point where it seemed she would break the straps holding her down and it was all Yuki could do to keep her head still after she pulled free of the oxygen mask.

_I_ _hope this is what you meant when you said you would help her_.

He didn't know how long it lasted, but after what seemed like several long minutes, Kai's screams finally subsided and her body relaxed. She lay there, breathing heavily and sweating profusely as her expression became calm again. The pentacle was gone as well, but Yuki still kept his power going, for she hadn't opened her eyes yet.

_This is bad, I'm approaching my limit_.

"Yuki?" the weak voice made him jump in surprise.

"Kai!" he cried, watching in both shock and happiness as her eyes opened and she gave him a weary smile.

"So you're the new God's Light, huh?" she asked, her voice hoarse from both the screaming and lack of use. "Thank you… you saved me."

Yuki smiled. "I'm just… so glad… that you're… okay…" His voice trailed off and the last thing he became aware of was Luka catching him before he hit the floor.

His world went black.

**Hope you liked it! One quick thing to bear in mind going forward: I don't always proofread very well, so some mistakes are inevitable. If you find something big, tell me, but if it's a tiny, nick-picky thing, then please refrain from letting me know (honestly, I probs won't go back and fix it if it's tiny)**


	3. Thrown Back Through the Looking Glass

**Hey, sorry for the late update. Things have been pretty hectic and I haven't had time to post.**

**The long of the short of it is that I was studying in Japan for the past seven months and, due to complications set up by the recent quake, I had to come home two months early. I'm diabetic and I was running low on insulin and my mom couldn't get a flight out to see me and give me new supplies, hence I am now sitting on the couch in my living room in Pennsylvania.**

**Yup, ironically enough, I came home for medical purposes, not because of the damage. I was actually 450km south of the whole thing, but the program wanted to take us away from our host families and ship us down to Okinawa. I am one of five out of the 24 students that left.**

**Anyway, that's the short of it. Hope you enjoy the chapter.  
**

**~3: Thrown Back Through the Looking Glass~**

"Luze."

He looked up from his book, then kneeled as his master entered the library. "How can I be of service, Fowler?"

The necromancer shook his head. "It's not something I want" he said. "The Demon King asked me to pass on a message to you."

Luze blinked. "His majesty?"

Reiga nodded, "Yes, he said that he wants to meet with 'your charge' and that he'd be much obliged if you brought her as soon as possible."

"I see" Luze said, returning his book to its shelf before making to leave. "I'll take my leave from you then. I'm afraid that, even if you are my master, Lord Reiga, I cannot disobey a direct order from the king."

"I understand" the necromancer replied. "I assume this is confidential information as well?"

He nodded. "I'm afraid so, sir." He bowed and exited the library to the walk the maybe fifty steps to his room, which was on the same level as the second floor of the library. As per usual, he stuck his hand out and entered the mirror to find the girl gazing out the window as she always did. This time, however, she looked at him in surprise as he entered.

"You don't usually come so soon between visits" she said, standing to greet him.

"I'm here on orders" he began, but stopped when he saw it. The large object was still there, looking just as foreboding as ever. The curtain looked as though it had been moved, but just barely. He swore he saw the light flicker off what may have been glass, but it was gone a moment later.

"Have you tried removing the curtain?" he asked, both slightly annoyed and slightly unnerved by the thing. "It might make things move more quickly."

She started at that, then shook her head quickly. "It's no good" she said, sounding as though she might cry. "No matter how many times I try, I just can't do it. I-I'm too scared of what lies behind it."

Luze sighed, he was done being aggravated by her weakness. "Well it doesn't matter, since I'm here on a different matter of business. Your master wants to see you. Now, come with me."

She hesitated as he held out his hand. "Come… with you? As in… away from this place?" Luze had to fight down his annoyance this time. Of course he meant away from this place, it's not like there was anywhere else to go inside the damned mirror anyway. The only exit was to his room, there was no other way out.

The only effective way to get her to see clearly in the past was probably going to be the only way to get her to see clearly now. He sighed once again before saying "Come, Aria; come with me and meet your master."

As she had on the other occasions, she responded to the name as though it were commanding her. To tell the truth, it actually was commanding her. The king had explained to Luze that he was to use the name as little as possible, for it meant that she would obey without question. He had only used it before when he needed her to calm down from particularly bad panic attacks, but now seemed appropriate as well. She relaxed and stepped toward him, finally taking his hand so he could lead her out.

"Are you really going to leave me like this?"

Luze spun around, still gripping the girl's hand as he stared at the object. Had he imagined it? No, there was no way he could have; the thing really had spoken. A bright, golden light was shining through the small spot where the curtain had shifted, moving to envelop the entirety of the object.

As the curtain finally fell to the floor, Luze found himself gaping at a gigantic mirror, far larger than the one they were in now. Its frame was simple in design, yet horribly beautiful from both its gold hue and that of the light. The glass itself was shining with an almost blinding radiance and Luze was forced to wonder how the girl next to him could stand to look at it directly.

The voice came again. "Are you really going to forget me?" it asked. "Are you going to abandon me? I thought you promised me that you wouldn't hurt me ever again, so how could you betray me like this?"

Luze felt her hand shake in his and forced his face away from the painful light in order to see her better. Her eyes were wide in with what looked like paralyzing fear. Sure enough, even when he shook her, he couldn't get her attention.

Then he heard it. Another voice came through the mirror, but this one was female. It was singing a song in a human language he did not recognize. The haunting melody penetrated his mind like a sword, making him clutch his forehead with his free hand. The sound of a violin also met his ears as he saw a hooded figure step from the light. His face was completely in shadow, yet the girl at his side seemed to recognize him immediately.

"R-Ren" she said. It was barely a whisper, yet it penetrated the air like a gunshot. To Luze's horror, she took her hand from his and stepped toward the mirror, toward the forbidding light.

"Aria! Stop!" he called. He didn't know how, but he knew that if she stepped into the light, he'd never see her again. And who knew what the king would do should he loose his precious project.

To his relief, she turned back to him, but his heart plummeted as he saw her face. There was a whole new look in her eyes, one far superior to her formerly weak and fearful gaze. She looked at him with a rage fall colder than he'd ever felt from anyone, even Reiga, and even her words felt like ice as she uttered them.

"Never call me by that name again" she said warningly, glaring at him from where she stood. Even her posture had changed. She stood erect, confident, independent like she had never been before.

Her voice rang out again, stronger than he had ever believed it could be. "You cannot control me any longer" she snarled. "I'll no longer be a slave to your power. For two years, I have fought to find my way out of my mirror self, but it was all in vain. Now that light has set me free."

"Impossible! Could it be… God's Light?" Luze turned back to the mirror. Sure enough, as the brightness surged, he could feel the horrible warmth radiating from it. This girl didn't seem to recognize it, but it was definitely God's Light coming from the mirror. "Idiot! If you get any closer, even you will die! No matter what you say about your mirror self, you're still a Duras!"

She looked at him again and smirk. Luze's eyes widened as she stepped into the light, utterly unharmed as she took the figure's hand. Next thing he new, they were both gone, swallowed up by the light and the mirror.

"Get out of there!" the voice that rang out this time was one he knew all too well. Almost instinctively, he obeyed, sprinting out of the other exit and back into his room. And none too soon, for the mirror behind shattered barely a second after he was out.

"You move very quickly" the king said, helping Luze to his feet. "Anyone else, no matter how strong, would have been trapped in there forever."

"I-I'm sorry, your majesty" Luze said quickly, kneeling before the sovereign. "I don't know why or how, but God's Light took Aria."

"It's not your fault" the king replied with a shake of the head. "It just means that that girl had a stronger will than I'd anticipated." Luze saw him clench his fist and practically felt the king's anger oozing out of his body. "That Giou Clan is a little too good sometimes."

"The Giou Clan?" Luze raised his eyebrows in surprise "Was Aria a Zweilt?"

The king smirked. "I honestly don't think so" he said with a chuckle. "She went down without much of a fight, after all." He looked up at the ceiling, smiling menacingly. "It was raining that day and she had her hood up, so I didn't get a good look at what her human face looked like, but, judging by her body and the mirror image that formed, she must have been at least average-looking. I had her infected before the Zweilts that were with her could do a thing. Of course, I was gone before they could realize it had been my attack, but I wish I could've watched the shocked faces of those kids as their classmate fell." He looked at Luze now. "Your brother's rage was so alluring."

"You mean… you did this because of Luka?" Luze asked, shocked that the king would be so impulsive.

"Of course it wasn't just for him" the king said with a laugh. "I had intended to show the Giou Clan just how powerless they are against the true strength of Infernus. They may just be targeting Reiga right now, but that doesn't mean they won't come for the rest of us later. I was merely giving them a warning as to what would happen should they try and cross me."

"You are truly inspiring, my liege" Luze said in awe. "Only you would think of something so terrifying in order to protect the people."

"What is a king if he cannot do something as important as keep his subjects safe?" the sovereign said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "However, I do intend to punish your brother at some point, though that won't be until the right opportunity presents itself."

"I understand, your majesty" Luze replied with a bow. "Luka is a traitor that I am ashamed to call even a clan relation, let alone my twin."

"Your vehemence is striking" the king said, walking over and cupping Luze's chin in his hand. He turned the younger Opast's face from side to the other as though examining him. Finally, he said "Your beauty is superior to the others of Infernus; to the point where it might even rival your brother's. I repeat what I said the other evening: were you not Reiga's, I'd certainly have made you mine. If only you hadn't been such a recluse, then I could've taken you right after your brother left, I could've made you mine before Reiga could have gotten to you."

"M-my lord" Luze said quietly. "I do not deserve such praise."

"Such modesty… it makes you so tempting." Before Luze could even blink, the king's mouth was against his own, his tongue assaulted by the sovereign's in a way that he never thought possible. He tasted blood as the royal fangs punctured his lower lip, but the king lapped it up almost hungrily.

When the king finally stepped away, Luze found himself casting his eyes to the floor so as to avoid those of the man standing across from him. He cursed mentally as the heat of embarrassment crept into his cheeks.

Horror and confusion were assaulting his mind at the same time. Was this what Luka's life had been like? Had his brother been the king's personal toy? How far had it gone before Luka had left? And why did it have to be him this time? Why now?

The king's laugh made him look up again. The royal was in front of him again, draping his arms around his waist like it was nothing and leaning forward to whisper "Yes, this was Luka's role." Luze felt his breath hitch as the king nibbled on his ear gently before saying "You know your role better than he did; you know what it means to be Brand Zess." He curled his fingers in Luze's hair, pulling his head back and removing his tie to expose his neck. "You're a good Opast" he said, kissing Luze's pale skin. "You know how to obey, know where your place is in society. You can make up for your worthless brother's mistakes."

Luze gasped as the sovereign's fangs pierced his neck, staring up at the ceiling with wide eyes as the kind drank generously from him. After several moments, the edges of his vision even began to blur and it was a few more before he felt a tongue running itself over his wound and the flesh closed over seamlessly.

"I took advantage of you today" he heard the king say. He sank to the floor as his knees gave way, looking up at the king as the man licked a spec of blood from his finger. The sovereign smiled as he looked down at Luze. "You're so strong and your blood is so pure" he said. "It makes me wonder what you're hiding underneath that uniform."

To Luze's relief, the king didn't try to find out what was under his uniform, instead turning on his heal and making to leave. Before exiting through the door, however, he said "Get some rest tonight and don't train or stress yourself in any way tomorrow. Your contractor won't be happy with me if you die because of my whims. The best option is to stay in your room tomorrow."

Luze nodded, finally relaxing once the king's footsteps had faded into the distance outside. Fen, who hadn't dared move in the king's presence, now trotted over to comfort his master.

"Fen" he said weakly, embracing the wolf tightly and breathing deeply. "I pray that Reiga never hands me over to him. There won't be anything I can do if he does, but, all the same, I don't want to replace Luka."

Fen licked his cheek lightly and nuzzled his master under the chin. Once Luze was a bit calmer, he stood shakily, only able to summon enough energy to remove his boots, coat, and cap before collapsing onto the bed. His familiar leapt up onto the bed and lay beside his master rather than at his feet. But Luze didn't mind, it gave him something concrete, something real to cling to.

It had always been like that, Fen had been there from the beginning. He was the legendary hell-beast of the family, second in power only to Sodom when it came to the clan. However, when not in battle, Fen was Luze's partner, his born companion that would stick with him through the end.

"That's right" he said, half to himself, half to the wolf. "you won't leave me; you'll stay with me forever, you won't abandon me; not like… not like he did."

He would never admit it out loud, but Luka's betrayal had done far more damage to him than he let on. Before his brother had become the king's slave, it had just been the two of them, training and fighting to stay alive in Infernus. As the first-born, it was only natural that Luka would rise faster than himself, but it only served to make Luze work harder, striving to the seemingly unattainable goal:

His twin.

Luka was everything that Luze wanted. He had enormous magical power and he was merciless in battle, the epitome of Duras. Luze had lived under and loved that shadow from the beginning and wanted to follow in Luka's footsteps no matter what.

But then Luka had committed the ultimate taboo: he had not only broken his contract, but forcefully annulled it through making another on top of it. That had been the ultimate betrayal to Luze: to have his brother, the man he'd sought to follow, shame their family all for the sake of a human woman. Luka had abandoned them without a second thought, revealing just how much he'd actually cared about all of them.

_That's right, he abandoned us, abandoned me. He's not my brother, not even a Duras, he's a traitor and nothing more. He deserves whatever punishment the king gives him_.

"He deserves it" he whispered, his eyes drifting shut as sleep finally took over.


	4. Reunions, Sins, and M16s

**Thank you for all the kind reviews! Hope you all like the next chapter!**

**4: Reunions, Sins, and M-16s**

"Is this necessary, Takashiro?"

He nodded, smiling brightly as he replied "Of course, they've all been worried about you. Don't be shy, I'm sure they can't wait to see you."

"Everyone, look who's returned to the world of the conscious!" Kai grimaced as he flung open the doors to the dining hall, but hastily replaced it with an awkward smile as the others turned toward her.

The reaction was immdiate. The sweet roll in Tsukumo's mouth simply hung there as he stared; Touko's spoon dropped with a clatter, in unison with Senshiro's knife and fork; Kuroto's eyes simply widened while Hotsuma's jaw dropped, revealing the half-chewed tomato bread he'd been eating; even Shuusei gaped, his forkful of salad halfway to his mouth.

"KAI!" They all shouted at once, Tsukumo dropping his sweet roll and Hotsuma spewing a few crumbs.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Kai said with small laugh. "Two years by Takashiro's count."

"And yet you look fine!" Touko said. "Although you do look rather paler than normal."

"That's Takashiro's magic for you" Tachibana said as he walked over and clapped Kai on the back. "He made it so your body would keep developing, didn't he?"

Kai nodded. "He did the same with my mind" she explained. "So I shouldn't have much trouble on the entrance exams. Although Izumimari Academy is pretty tough to get into, I hear."

"Psh! Come on, Kai" Hotsuma scoffed. "You're a freaking genius when it comes to sciences, so it's not like you'll bomb the exam. Hell, you're well-cultured too and they'll be eager to get that kind of diversity."

"I see you haven't changed, Hotsuma" Kai said with a smirk. "You still have that habit of butchering Shuusei's words."

"What was that?"

"You do know she's right, don't you?" Shuusei asked mildly. "After all, that's exactly what I said when she was nervous about the first-year examinations at the end of middle school two years ago. Well, I did say it in more graceful terms."

"Besides, Hotsuma, being a doctor's kid doesn't necessarily make me a genius" Kai said with a sigh. "And I've gotten plenty of crap for being half before, so I'm not entirely thrilled to be going to a school where it's bound to happen again."

"True, but, like most bi-racial kids, you don't look too much like a half" Senshiro said comfortingly. "The only way you can actually tell is by you pale skin and grey eyes. By the way, did they get lighter?"

"Nah, you just haven't seen 'em in forever" Hotsuma said dismissively. "You gonna eat or what, Kai? You haven't exactly had a meal in two years, you know."

"I had Touma get some traditional Japanese cuisine set up for you" Takashiro said. "I don't think you'll be ready to go back to your regular diet for another few days. After all, you only just went off the liquid diet a few days ago."

"Days?" Touko cried, "Takashiro, just how long has Kai been awake?"

"About two weeks" the doctor said with a yawn as he came into the room. "We couldn't let her leave the infirmary until we were sure she was completely healed, though, so that's why you haven't seen her."

"That explains why Yuki's been so secluded lately" Tsukumo said, grabbing another sweet roll from the basket on the table. "He's been handling your check-ups, hasn't he?"

"Only recently" Kai admitted as she sat down across from the white-haired teen. "He was out for a while after the initial process, I'm afraid. But… I suppose that's what happens when you deal with an injury from the Demon King himself."

"Not the best way to break it to them, Kai" Takashiro chided as the other Zweilts instantly began an uproar.

"What do you mean?" Kuroto demanded.

"The Demon King? Are you sure?" Senshiro asked.

"HOW THE HELL DID WE NOT NOTICE?" Hotsuma cried.

"It all happened so fast on that school trip" Tsukumo said quietly. "I can't believe it was actually a disaster on this scale."

"But why?" Shuusei asked. "The Demon King has never gotten involved before, so why did he attack you?"

Kai shook her head. "I don't know" she said, curling her fingers in the bangs falling over left eye (they had been in the position for long during her coma that they had become rather stubborn, so she had given up trying to tuck them behind her ears). "All I know is what Zess told me a few days ago. He said that, by the nature of the magic, I would have died in a few days had Yuki not healed me when he did." She grit her teeth, adding "It's like you said, Tsukumo, everything happened far too fast. I was down and the next thing I knew I was waking up here, with no memory of what happened while my soul was supposedly a prisoner. That was the other half of Zess's explanation; he said that my 'mirror-self' would have become a new Duras once my human body ceased to function."

"I didn't know Duras could do that" Isuzu said as the others fell into silent shock.

"That kind of power is unique only to the Demon King" Kai turned as the Opast entered the room, returning the nod he gave her. "My real name is Luka, by the way" he said to her. "There hasn't exactly been time to tell you what with all the check-ups."

"I see… Luka, huh?" Kai smiled gently. "Seems like a better fit to me. Anyway, let's not dwell on this right now. I'm fine and eager to return to the battlefield as soon as possible."

"Slow down now" Takashiro said gently. "Let's focus on school and getting you back on a proper diet first, okay? Plus your parents will need to be notified of all of this. I refrained from telling them beforehand because I wanted to know you're opinion on that particular matter."

Kai glared at the miso soup and rice that Touma had put in front of her a few minutes ago. "Don't bother" she said tersely, picking up her chopsticks and stabbing a piece of tofu with them. "They don't give a damn, so just leave it be."

"I don't think that's the wisest decision, Kai" Takashiro protested. "They'll want to know about something like this. However, given that I know how stubborn you'll be about this, I'll leave it be for now. I urge you to reconsider all the same."

Kai remained silent as he left and the others began eating again. She knew they were being quiet out of respect for her feelings and she appreciated that Senshiro and Kuroto were forcing down any questions they may have had. Unlike the others, they didn't know about her relationship with her parents, didn't know how much she detested them.

Her father had met her mother while he was studying medicine in London and they had married not long after that. During Kai's early years, they had been kind, gentle people who had cared for her and her brother and divided their love between them equally.

That had all changed when Kai's powers had really started to awaken. She had discovered her ability to project images into other people's minds fairly early on and quickly gained mastery over it. It was something that she's only confided in her brother, projecting images into his head so he could see the world even without his eyes. However, the other side to that ability had almost cost Kai her sanity.

"Yuki!" Luka's voice broke Kai out of her thoughts, bringing a smile to her lips as she saw her childhood friend enter the room. To think he'd be the one to become God's Light; it had certainly surprised her, but she was happy all the same, since it meant she'd have someone to talk to about the old days now that she was no longer with Ren.

He sat beside her, but just as he was about to tuck into his own food, a look of confusion crossed over his face. "Kai? Why are you wearing both Zweilt rings?"

She blinked, then avoided his gaze, folding her hands in her lap while looking down at the silver bands on each of her middle fingers. The light shimmered off them, illuminating the inscription, _Agla_ _Kaida_, carved identically into both rings.

"Those rings represent one of the Giou Clan's... less admirable moments" Takashiro finally said, relieving Kai of the duty of explaining. "It happened, not only without the four sages' consent, but also without our knowledge. By the time we did get wind of what was happening, we were too late to stop it."

"What do you mean?" Yuki asked. Kai was painfully aware of the hush that had fallen over the table, but she understood the others' silence. The sin of her ancestors had been terrible indeed and would remain engraved deep within in her even after this war came into an end. As loath as she was to admit it, she harbored an intense hatred for her Asuka parents, for they had cursed her and because of that, she was now estranged from her current parents.

Takashiro's sigh broke her out of her thoughts. "Kai was originally destined to have a partner, as are all Zweilts" he explained. "And she did have one: her older twin brother."

"You have an older twin brother now, don't you?" Kai could tell he was smiling as he asked the question, could tell he was remembering the numerous times she had told him about Ren. Even so, those happy memories weren't enough to life her head, so she merely gave him a silent nod.

"The problem, Yuki," Takashiro said, drawing his attention away from her. "was that Kai was born with a weak constitution in her first life. Even as an infant, it was decided that there was no way she could become a proper Zweilt; her body simply wouldn't be able to handle her powers. She was destined to die as soon as her abilities were to awaken."

"What?" It was at this point that Kai closed her eyes. She focused on her breathing, refusing to let her emotions overwhelm her. Even after nearly six years, the story still brought her pain.

_Breath in. Breath out_.

"Due to her frailty, Kai's parents desperately sought a way to make it so their daughter could still live. They sought out a wondering monk named Kurahone, who was supposedly skilled in the medical arts. In reality, however, he had been cast out by the imperial court for his abuse of dark magic. The truly unfortunate thing is that Kai's parents at the time were fully aware of this truth."

_Breath in. Breath out._

"Why would they resort to such a man? Why take such a risk?"

"They didn't feel the sages could help them, despite our prowess. With that conviction, they brought both of their children to Kurahone, asking him to transfer their son's powers to their daughter so that she would become strong. She would become the Zweilt in her brother's place and he would work as a healthy normal human. One thing you must also understand, yuki, is that there was also a great desire to please Ario underneath their desire to help their child, despite their belief he could not help their cause. They felt that if they succeeded with the power transfer, they could create the "ultimate Zweilt", one who would function as her own partner."

"That's awful!"

_Breath in._

"It was; more horrible than you think. You see, Kurahone did manage to transfer the powers to Kai, but he nearly killed her in the process. The extraction was also too much for her twin, and he died a horrible death."

_Breath out._

"When we found them all, Kai's life was slipping away by the second and her brother…"

_In. Out_.

"Was nothing more than a tangled, bloody mass."

Kai fought down the churning in her stomach. The worst was over, that was all that mattered now. She wasn't in the Asuka period; she was here, in modern times, with Yuki and the others, completely alright.

"Kurahone was condemned to execution" Takashiro continued. "and Kai's parents spent the remainder of their lives in prison. The sages took Kai and raised her in the stronghold ourselves. She did indeed go on to become one of the strongest Zweilts the Giou Clan had ever seen, but she has forever since been called Giou's "most tragic" demon hunter. Tragic because she was born to slay the beings who feed of the sin of humans, yet, at the same time, she had been created by that very sin."

Silence pervaded throughout the room until Kai herself decided to speak. Lifting her head up, she smiled at Yuki. "It's alright, Yuki," she said. "Even if I am tragic, I'm not going to let it stop me from protecting you and the rest of the world. I'm a Zweilt and I'm going to fight until I can't fight anymore, sins of my ancestors be damned!"

"Hell yeah to that!" Hotsuma cried, thrusting his fist into the air.

"We can't let the past hold us back," Touko said emphatically "we've got to make our own paths as well!"

Similar remarks were heard from the other Zweilts and Kai was glad to see Yuki's spirits rise. Dinner continued on in higher spirits than ever before and conversation broke out again. However, it was short lived as Yuki caught Kai's attention again.

"Are you alright, Kai?" he asked, his look of concern erasing the smile on her face.

"I'm fine" she replied, somewhat confused by his expression. He'd been by her side this entire time, healing her, making sure there was absolutely no trace left of the Demon King's blood in her system. And just a minute ago he had been laughing with them, so why would he ask her this now?

"I've just been worried about you" he said quietly. "That story… and when I was first healing you, I… saw things."

Her eyes widened as she realized what he meant. Turning her eyes away, she sighed, saying "Don't worry about it. It's in the past now and I've long stopped caring about it, so… don't let it bother you."

"Are you sure?" Yuki asked, sounding doubtful.

Kai nodded, smiling reassuringly. "You know I can handle myself" she said. "All that matters is that I'm happy here and that, as soon as I'm better, I'll be able to protect you with everything I have." And his continued worried expression, she said "look, some things happened between me and my parents and we don't really talk now, but that's all. Ever since I came here, things have been great; being here made it feel like a huge weight had been lifted."

"That could very well have been because you had, in fact, lost a ton of weight by that time." The annoyance in Takashiro's voice did not go unnoticed. "I was almost glad when your parents said they didn't need the support money."

Kai couldn't help herself, she laughed as his words. "That applies to everyone accepts the Murasame parents, though, doesn't it?" she asked. "You say the same thing every time one of us comes in after having a hard time with our parents because of powers. Although normally it's 'I can't believe I have to pay people like that'."

"It seems everyone's had something bad happen because of their powers" Yuki said quietly. "You're all so strong to be able to bear with that pain."

"You're the one who bears the most, though, Yuki" Touko said comfortingly. "And, like Kai said, Tsukumo and I didn't have any problems before coming here."

"Our parents actually threatened Takashiro when he showed up to take us" Tsukumo said, as if he were reminiscing. "Touko, was it the AK-47 or the M-16 that dad pointed at him?"

"The M-16" Touko replied, oblivious to the dumbfounded looks around the room. "Mom threatened to set Antoinette and Alexandra on him too, didn't she?"

"Yeah" Tsukumo said. "I miss them, they were still little more that pups when we left."

"Golden Retrievers?" Senshiro asked hesitantly. Like him, Kai was almost afraid of the answer.

"German Shepherds" Touko said. "Our dad is a general in the self-defense army and he helps train new cadets. Our dogs are his assistants."

"They're really quite adorable" Tsukumo said. "We'll show you pictures some time."

"They weren't exactly adorable when they were straining to bite my legs off" Takashiro grumbled.

"Mom kept them on a leash" Tsukumo said with a shrug.

"That she almost let go of!" Tachibana cried (he had, in fact, been there at the time to pick up the siblings). "I've never been more afraid in my life!"

The table dissolved in laughter as Kai leaned back in her seat, smiling and joining in after a while. This was where she belonged, where she could forget about her suffering, and where she could really and truly be happy.

This was home.


	5. High School Shit

**READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTES! PLEASE!**

**Heheh, SOOOOOooooooooooo... Yeah, this is waaaaaaay overdo (again), isn't it? *dodges brick* I'm so sorry, guys, I've been really busy with school and honestly I didn't have the motivation to work on the story during that time. But here's the next chapter, which will be followed by another shortly, I PROMISE!**

**Now, before we dive into the story here, let me say something. I will not, I repeat, NOT tolerate ANY weeaboo comments, got it? I just spent eight effing months in Japan learning, living, BREATHING the culture AND the bloody LANGUAGE, so the TINY amount of romanized Japanese that pops up in this chapter, or any future chapters, is COMPLETELY justified.**

**Sorry, but I know there's someone out there who's going to pop the taboo 'W' word on me if I don't say something. It hasn't happened here, but it has occurred to me off the interweb community, so I'm only protecting myself.**

**(BTW: I got back in late March, been there since late August, hence the busy schedule.)**

**5: Shit**

"We're here" Luka said, pulling up to the curb to let them out of the car.

Kai looked up at Izumimari Academy with no small amount of apprehension. Before her lay a high-end private academy filled with wealthy and probably even some distinguished children. It was the type of school she new well from her childhood and the type she knew was bound to have at least one person give her hell for being half.

"Shit" she sighed. "Here we go."

"Sore wa Eigo desune?" Yuki said as they walked through the gate together. "Your lack of accent is amazing."

"Even when I'm not exactly saying something nice, eh?" Kai said with a laugh. "Well, I don't like speaking too often simply because… you know, that whole parents thing. Although, as you have just witnessed, sometimes I can't help it. Plus there's also the fact that it's a mandatory course in most schools."

"What were you saying?" Yuki asked as they entered the locker room.

She laughed again. "I was swearing" she said. "Hey our lockers are next to each other!"

"So they are" Yuki said happily. "Why exactly were you swearing?"

This time she frowned. "This is my third private academy, Yuki, since I switched for middle school when Takashiro took me in" she said. "I know what kids at these places are like."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just worried that I'll get the same heat I did at my first middle school" she said quietly. "Even if I do look Japanese for the most part, the pale skin and light eyes are a dead giveaway to my being half."

"That's ridiculous!" Yuki said vehemently. "Kai, you're one of the nicest people I know, I'm sure you'll be fine!"

Kai blushed slightly. "T-thanks, Yuki" she said. "Well, I'm in classroom two, so I'll see you this afternoon, alright?"

"Are you riding home with me and Luka?" he asked.

She nodded. "Takashiro wants me to until I've regained the full of my strength back" she said. "I'll see you at the gate!" she called.

Not long after she'd exited the locker room, Kai found herself faced with a group of three rather irate-looking girls. All of them appeared to be second-years like herself, which made her stomach clench, seeing as how that made her an ever-present target.

Shit.

"H-hello there" she said hesitantly. "Can I help you?"

"Who are you? I've never seen you here before!" the blonde girl acting as their leader said angrily. Her dyed honey-colored tresses fell in loose girls about her shoulders and back and her skirt was most definitely rolled. Kai had seen her kind often enough to know that this girl was a spoiled princess. All the same, she still had to answer the question.

"My name is Kirihara Kaida" she said. "and I've only just transferred here today. May I ask just what I did to make you angry? I've only been on the grounds for about ten minutes."

"What gives you the right to talk to Giou so casually?" she demanded. "You walked in here like you were the best of pals!"

Giou? That was right, Yuki had changed his surname when Takashiro had adopted him. "Well, to be honest, Yuki and I do know each other from a while back" she said. "We used to live in the same city when we were kids, but I moved to Shinjuku when my dad got a job transfer."

"Well don't talk to him!" the girl spat. "He's ours!"

Shit. Another group of infatuated gossip girls; seemed like their was at least one group in every school. They got one look at a cute guy and almost immediately decided they loved him; it was ridiculous.

"Got it." Kai replied simply for the sake of pleasing the girl, not because she had actually had any intention of following her instructions. "In exchange, can you tell me where classroom two is?"

"It's my classroom, so I'll take you" Kai grimaced as Tsukumo came upon them, a box of pocky in his hand. The love-struck looks of the girls quickly shifted to glares when he continued with "shall we go, Kai?"

Shit.

"Did you have to use the nickname, Tsukumo?" Kai asked as she trudged behind him, leaving the three very angry girls in their wake.

"But you hate being called Kaida" the white-haired teen said innocently. When they finally reached the classroom, he pointed to the back of the room, saying "my desk is over there." Pointing to a spot at the opposite side of the room from the door, he added "yours is that one by the window."

Kai nodded, taking her seat quietly while the other students chatted amongst themselves. To her consternation, the blonde girl from earlier walked in, taking the seat in front of Tsukumo. The temptation to find out what he was saying was extreme, but she resisted; propriety wouldn't allow it. Besides, she couldn't hear people's thoughts, only see their surroundings through their eyes and, if they allowed her to, the images of their memories and anything else that she should know. In short, she had to derive all information from pictures and whatever emotions came with them, meaning connecting with either Tsukumo's mind or the girl's would prove utterly useless given the situation.

Tsukumo saw her looking and, obviously thinking she was nervous, gave her a small wave, which didn't go unnoticed by the blonde girl. She shot Kai a quick glare before returning her attentions to Tsukumo. This time she seemed to be asking something, because Tsukumo was talking more than before, like he was giving some sort of explanation.

"Alright, quiet down. This is class, you can socialize on your own time." For about the fifth time that morning, Kai felt her heart fall into her stomach. The teacher was here, meaning a very awkward introduction was coming her way.

Shit.

"I've been informed by the principal that we're the lucky class with the transfer student this time" he said jovially. "If you're here, miss newcomer, please stand and introduce yourself to the class."

Shit.

Kai stood, smiling gently as the rest of the class turned to look at her. Bowing, she said "My name is Kirihara Kaida. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"Kirihara?" The teacher blinked. "Are you related to Kirihara Juken and Jordan Miller by any chance?"

She nodded. "My parents" she said.

"I see, very prominent, the pair of them" the teacher said. "Well, it's good to have you among us, Miss Kirihara, if there's anything you need, I'm sure the students will be able to help you."

_Different images of the same hospital dominated the scene, followed by snippets of songs, all sung by the same voice. Next came direction signs on highways and posters advertising various shows, then television broadcasts and radio interviews. The mixture of curiosity, skepticism, admiration, and apprehension was almost overwhelming._

"Shit!" she hissed, thankful no one heard her. The images and emotions had broken through, unbidden, because of her weakened and nervous state. After a few deep breaths, they ceased and she was able to focus on the lesson again.

"You okay, Kirihara?" Kai jumped as the girl next to her spoke. She was a little on the eccentric side, with orange-dyed hair and contacts to make her eyes a startling green. He wrists were adorned with a series of bright bracelets and her neck with a choker, from which hung a small golden bell.

"Ah, I'm fine" Kai said quickly. "It was just a slight headache. You see, I've been sick for a while and I just got over it. It's just going to take a little time to get back into my normal routine, I guess."

"I see" the girl said. "Well, my name's Suzuki Kyoko, in case you were wondering. If you want, I can show you around the campus" she added with a grin.

Kai smiled. "Thanks, I'd like that" she said. If she was already in the process of making a friend, maybe high school wouldn't be so bad.

The bell for lunch rang a few hours later and Kai found herself chatting happily with Kyoko on their way to the grounds. However, before leaving the classroom, she stopped by Tsukumo's desk and asked "Tsukumo, what did that girl ask you?"

"Hm?" he shrugged as he stood. "She just wanted to know what our relation was as well as how you knew Yuki. I told her that you and Yuki are childhood friends and that we've been friends since middle school. Why? Was she being mean to you earlier?"

"Something like" Kai admitted, though she was relieved that was all Tsukumo had said. Given his compulsive honesty, she had been a bit worried. "Don't worry about it, she doesn't seem like much of a threat" she said with a grin. "I've met plenty of people like her before, it's best to just ignore them."

"Ignore Sakurazaki Arisa?" Kyoko said as they walked through the halls. "I wish you luck, my friend. The class rep is not one to let competition walk away unscathed; she'll try and turn any dirt she finds against you, got it?"

Kai shrugged. "Can't be helped" she said. "I'm not going to stop talking to people I've known for years just because someone I've know for less than a day decides it's not okay."

Kyoko was quiet for a moment, then burst out laughing. "I like you, Kirihara" she said. "You're not the person I expected you to be. I'm not the only who thought this, but I felt for sure you'd be some stuck-up rich kid, acting all buddy-buddy with the class rep, but you seem pretty okay to me!"

"Thanks?" Kai said, not sure if it was a compliment. "Ah, Touko, are you looking for Tsukumo?"

The older girl nodded as she approached them. "Takashiro called us" she explained. "Have you seen him?"

"I think he said something about going to the bunny hutch during lunch" Kyoko said.

"Thank you!" Touko said, smiling brightly as she left them. "Oh, and Kai, Takashiro said you're free to either go with Yuki and Luka in the car this afternoon or, if you're up to it, you can walk home with Hotsuma and Shuusei."

"Do you all live together?" Kyoko asked as Touko disappeared.

Kai nodded. "Can you keep it a secret, though?" she asked. "It'll cause problems if the school finds out. I mean, the faculty already knows, but, given the attitude of the female student body, Touko and I wouldn't be left alone."

Kyoko laughed. "No worries" she said. "Besides, I've already got a beau, so you don't need to worry about me getting jealous or anything. I can't really get my head around Tsukumo and those guys anyway. I mean, Murasame and Giou are nice and all, but it's in that cutesy, clueless way, you know? And Renjou's way too short-tempered, like that Horai kid in the first-year class. And then Usui's way too quiet. So yeah, I'd pick my guy over them any day."

She laughed. "Yeah, I get what you're saying" she said. "I don't hold any romantic feelings for them either, but I certainly couldn't ask for more loyal friends. Since we all live together, it's easy to get into arguments, but, no matter how many petty fights we get into, we'll always have each other's backs."

"That's kind of amazing" Kyoko said. "Anyway, I've been meaning to ask. Are you guys part of the Giou World End?"

Kai stopped short. "How do you know about that?" she asked quickly.

"My dad works in a special faction of the police that works directly with Giou Takashiro" she explained. "He doesn't like that guy, but he appreciates that he gets the job done. Anyway, the reason I want to know is because I'm really into the supernatural and I hear that's what you guys deal with."

"I though the detectives weren't supposed to talk about all that" Kai said. "Takashiro told us specifically that, because of the confidentiality agreement, our identities wouldn't be compromised."

"Don't worry, that rule exists in my family." Kyoko said dismissively. "And Giou Takashiro said it was alright if my dad wanted to tell us since a family is built on trust. My mom never talks about it because, like my dad, she doesn't want to admit that monsters and the like exist and I'll never talk because I know it'd compromise my dad. I've always wanted to talk to one of you guys about, ever since I saw Usui leaving the police department that day. I mean, I figured how to identify you guys, but it's pretty hard finding the right chance to talk to you."

"How did you identify us?"

Kyoko grinned. "You all where those silver rings" she said, pointing to the circular pieces of metal on each of Kai's fingers. "Don't worry, only a detective's kid like me would figure it out."

"Right" Kai said, a little disconcerted by how quickly this girl had picked up on the rings. "Why are you so interested in us?" she asked. "Is it just because of your love for the paranormal?"

Kyoko shook her head. "No, I want to join my dad's field after college" she said. "I'm already studying up on detective techniques and such."

Kai laughed. "You're very eager, I see. I'm sorry, though, I'm not allowed to go into detail about it."

"I'll find out soon enough" Kyoko said mischievously. "Once my dad convinces Giou Takashiro to let him bring me to work some time."

"Good luck with that" Kai said with a laugh. "I highly doubt Takashiro will ever allow it, considering just how dangerous things can get."

"And being a detective isn't?" Kyoko countered.

She sighed. "If you ever do the get the chance to observe, you'll see what I mean."

"Miss Kirihara?" They looked up as one of the teachers approached them. He looked to be in his late thirties or early forties, with chestnut hair that stuck up in several different directions, despite the beret perched jauntily on top of it. He had a kind, energetic face that seemed to light up when Kai acknowledged him, his glasses flashing happily in the sunlight.

"That's Kojima sensei" Kyoko explained. "He's an English teacher, but he's also the supervisor of a few extracurricular activities."

"That's right!" Kojima sensei said jovially as he reached them. "Kai, I'd be honored if you'd step in to my English classes some time. You're fluent, aren't you?"

"In American English, yes" Kai replied. "Some words in the British dialect are different, though, and I have some trouble with their speech habits. I heard the curriculum here is built off that dialect, so…"

"Well, just pop your head in some time" he said, waving his had dismissively. "Anyway, what I really wanted to do was tell you about some of our after-school clubs. You see, I run both the a-cappella group and the drama club and we'd love to have the daughter of the great Jordan Miller among-!"

"No" Kai cut him off. "I'm sorry, sensei, but I'm not my mother. I can't sing."

"That's not what your transcript form your middle school reports" the teacher protested. "You were very active in school musicals throughout your first year."

"I didn't do any in the other two, though," Kai replied curtly. "I got pretty sick during the summer in between and, though I can speak normally now, my vocal chords will never recover to the point where I can sing again."

"Really?" Kojima Sensei was a mixture of shock and disappointment. "I-I'm so sorry, it must be painful to have lost a skill like that. Well, again, if you ever feel like it, why don't you pop into my English class sometime?"

"Voice damage, huh?" Kyoko asked as the teacher left. "That must suck for you."

"I don't have voice damage" Kai said with a sigh, getting to her feet as the warning bell rang. "Let's head back to class. We have English with a different teacher, don't we? Katsura sensei, right? Isn't he our homeroom teacher?"

Kyoko nodded. "Y-yeah, we do" she said. "But what do you mean you 'don't have voice damage'? You lied?"

She nodded. "I don't really sing for anyone anymore; well, not in a performance setting at any rate" she said quietly. "Singing's not something I take any enjoyment in unless it's for those I hold dear to my heart." The truth of the matter was that Kai had withdrawn from performing in school after Takashiro had taken her in. Before, her voice had been for Ren and Ren alone and the only reason she'd taken part in school musicals was because he'd pushed her to do so. Now that she could no longer see him, however, things were different.

_Her own face came into view, though it was from a tentative sideways glance. She was walking with her head down, a downcast expression on her face. Prominent concern radiated in every image ._

"You really are one of the genuine types, aren't you?" She said with a small laugh. "I'm glad, it's rare to find that in academies like these. Even so… I'm afraid there's nothing that you can do to help; and you really don't need to worry about me anyway."

Kyoko blinked. "Geez, woman, you a mind-reader or something?" she asked, incredulity spreading over her face. "My dad told me that Giou brings in psychics to help with the paranormal stuff, but I thought he was just pulling my leg.

"Your expression was far too easy to read" Kai replied deftly. "And what's going on English? Seems like Sakurazaki and her friends are pretty excited over something."

"You're right" Kyoko commented. Sure enough, the blonde and her posse were clustered together, chatting excitedly over something one of them was holding. Kai and Kyoko were able to catch snippets of their conversation as they passed by to their own desks.

"Oh look at him! He's gorgeous!"

"I didn't think guys like him EXISTED!"

"Can you believe he's the same age?"

"But he doesn't look very muscular…"

"Stupid! Musicians don't have to be muscular!"

"Hey! He's playing in Akihabara next week!

"Damn! It's already sold out!"

It was then that Arisa's voice rose above the others. "Well my daddy got me two backstage passes to meet him. I'm sure he'll be absolutely struck by my beauty when he sees me! I'll let you all know when we hit it off!"

"Oh Arisa, you're so lucky!"

"I'm so jealous!"

"Get us his autograph, okay?"

"Wonder who they're fawning over this time" Kyoko said. "Last month is was that singer from Kuraisu and now it seems like someone new."

"Yeah" Kai replied absently. She could, of course, find out who it was if she wanted to, but she honestly didn't care about celebrities and whatnot. Instead, she inwardly urged Katsura sensei to hurry up and start class so she wouldn't have to listen to their sycophantic prattle any longer.

_A magazine cover floated like some ghostly apparition, an eerily familiar figure dominating the scene. The headline "Ren: Japan's Rising New Star" blended with it in an array of shocking red and heavy infatuation._

Hold on.

"Alright, class!" Kai blinked as the teacher finally started. "Back in your seats. Ah, Miss Kirihara, I take it you weren't told, were you?"

Kai raised an eyebrow in confusion. "About what?"

"You're exempt from English classes" he said simply. "You're fluent, after all, so there's no need to sit through this. I was told someone would arrange a private tutor so you could continue with more advanced studies, but that won't take place at school. Now, off you go. The library is down the hall and to the left; please make sure you're back by dismissal."

"Okay" Kai replied, still a little confused, but at the same time a little glad. She could use the opportunity to find out if her Ren and this other Ren were one and the same. True, her brother had always loved music, but she didn't know if he would ever have picked up an instrument given his lack of sight.

**Again, sorry for the long delay (and for the mini-rant). I promise the next chapter will be up soon ^_^**


	6. Running Errands

**BOOYAH! ANOTHER CHAPTER!**

**6: Running Errands **

"There you are."

Luze stiffened as the King entered the library. Ever since the incident in his bedroom, he had dreaded any further contact with the sovereign. However, he was careful not to show his feelings too clearly in front of the man as he bowed to him, greeting him with a respectful "my liege."

"So reserved" the king said with a shake of his head. "Did I traumatize you?" He chuckled, tilting Luze's chin up so they were looking in each other's eyes, and pecked him on the lips. "I won't do any more than that today" he said, stepping away.

"My lord, this…" Luze shook his head, unable to find the words to say to the king. How on earth was he supposed to ask this man to stop without condemning himself to execution? That was the inevitable outcome if he were to defy the king. Looking at the floor, he said "I'm sorry, sir, but this is… not something I… I can't figure out how to say this without fear of insulting you, my lord."

"You can't handle the affections of another man? No matter how private they may be?"

Luze nodded, bowing apologetically. "Forgive me, my king."

"It's nothing of consequence" the king said dismissively. "Although, I can't help but feel you're considering Luka in all of this." He smirked. "You don't want to be his replacement, do you? That's why you're so reserved around people; you don't want them thinking of you and Luka as the same person."

"Your perceptiveness never ceases to amaze me, my lord" Luze said quietly. "It's true, I do not want to be affiliated with that traitor, especially not after the shame he put on my family when he left." He sighed. "But my lord's affections are only related to that in a very slim degree. If I may speak plainly, I'm afraid that, apart from being physically incapable of loving another man, I am utterly unable to give my love to anyone."

"I see" the king said quietly, surprising Luze as he stepped forward and started playing with a strand of his hair. "I believe I know why you feel this way; after all, I knew you and your brother from when you were very small. Luka was your everything, even after I took him from you, and you would have committed the sin of your ancestor a thousand times over if he so asked it of you. But he betrayed you and now you've completely shut off your heart."

Luze didn't speak, instead casting his eyes on the carpet below. They stood like that for a long moment, king and slave, utterly silent in the empty library. After a few moments, the king stepped away, saying "your contractor is here."

He looked up as Reiga entered the room. Bowing, he said "how can I be of service, Fowler?"

The necromancer eyed the king warily before speaking. "Luze, I need you to go with Elegy and Cadenza and do me a favor. I'm switching up our strategy for the next battle. With my powers not fully developed and the inhibitions set on me by Wakamiya Kanata, the best route left open is that of subterfuge."

"Forgive me, Fowler, but that seems rather cowardly" Luze said. "It may just be my experience as a citizen of Infernus speaking, but the best way to destroy an opponent is a direct strike."

"I'm afraid I must agree with your servant" the king said. "Would you really want to be remembered as the necromancer who destroyed the Giou Clan through sabotage?"

"Under normal circumstances, I'd agree with both of you" Reiga said. "However, I cannot resort to a direct attack at this stage and waiting any longer will only allow the Giou Clan to become stronger. God's Light has already achieved more control of his powers and is continuing to do at a swift rate. He's already resurrected the one rumored to be the most powerful, yet also the most tragic, of Zweilts."

"Resurrected?" Luze asked. "And don't all Zweilts come in pairs?"

Reiga nodded. "Yes, they do come in pairs, Luze" he said. "This particular Zweilt is her own pair, though, because of a ritual performed several centuries ago. That is why history marks her as the ultimate Zweilt: because she bears the powers of both halves. From the information I could glean, she was comatose for some time due a horrible injury inflicted by an Opast, yet God's Light was able to heal her in a single session."

"I see" the king said. "Well, it's as you say, the Giou clan is gaining strength at an unfortunately rapid pace." He sighed. "With no definite time as to when your powers will fully awaken, Reiga, I suppose you are left without any other options. However, if you are sending Luze to the human realm, I would like to give him a task myself."

"Your highness?" Luze looked at the man in confusion.

"I would like you to search for that little project" he said. "Given that I cannot have either of my desired companions, I would like to have at least a little something to keep me company; even if it is just a fragile mouse."

"Yes, your majesty" Luze replied, bowing. Turning to the necromancer, he asked "Lord Reiga, when are we to depart?"

"Once you have changed into the human clothes I have provided you with" Reiga replied. He held out his hand, adding "unfortunately, if you are going to take Fen with you, you will need these."

Luze felt his eyes widen as he looked at the collar and leash, utterly repulsed, yet knowing full well that that was how humans treated animals. He took them reluctantly, then retired to his room where he found the articles of clothing Reiga had mentioned.

They were simple effects: a dark gray button down, black slacks, black shoes, a silver clasp for his hair, a wristwatch, and a black tie. Once he had put them on, he rolled up the sleeves of the button down, preferring not to have them fall over his hands, and motioned for Fen to come to him.

"I'm sorry about this" he said as he fastened the collar around his familiar's neck. "It pains me not only to have you walk around in that condensed form, but also to have to chain you as well."

Fen let out a small whine as Luze clipped the leash to the collar, scratching at it with his foot. He had shrunk down to the size of a rather large Husky, a form that Luze wasn't too eager to have his familiar stay in, even though Fen did look like a champion show dog of sorts.

"My, don't you look dashing" Elegy said as he met them in the entrance hall. She was dress in a black capped sleeved dress with a plummeting neckline as well as a pair of four-inch heels. If anyone could seduce men into giving out information, it would be her.

Cadenza stood beside her, dressed in a three-piece suit. His usually wild red hair had been brushed back and contained in a side ponytail. All-in-all, Luze supposed they would probably be able to blend in. That is, so long as they didn't run into any Zweilts.

Or Luka for that matter.

"Good, you're all ready" Reiga said. "Go and find any information you can regarding the Zweilts and their weaknesses. Take these and call this number whenever you get something. I myself will be digging up information and such, but in a different location. By the way, they're called cell-phones; just plug the number in and press the call button to reach me."

"Understood" came the unanimous reply.

"Move out."

Luze and the other two Opasts found themselves standing in a dark park. It was the dead of night and the only other occupant was a homeless man sleeping on a nearby bench, utterly oblivious to the three Duras that had just appeared.

"So who's going to investigate which Zweilt?" Elegy asked. "I'd personally like to take care of that brother and sister duo who always seem to be around my precious Zess."

"I'd work on the Black Katana Zweilt and his Death Scythe partner," Cadenza said. "But I have a feeling their only weaknesses are each other. If I uncover something new, that's one thing, but I suppose I'll focus on the hotheaded blonde and his quiet friend in the meantime."

"That leaves the single Zweilt" Elegy said. "Can you handle her, Luze?"

"It will make things easier if I'm handling just the one" he said. "I have another assignment to take care of while I'm here, one given by the Demon King himself."

"Someone's climbing the ranks" Cadenza commented. "Maybe soon enough you'll be acknowledged as an official General Class. You already have the title of Blade King, after all."

"It's the fate of the Crosszeria Clan to remain below the other Opasts" Luze said. "Whether or not I achieve status is of no consequence to me so long as I am able to fight for my master."

"You're so different from Zess" Elegy sighed. "Well, I suppose this is where we split off. If we're found together, neither Zess nor the Zweilts will let us off."

They scattered after that and Luze found himself traveling toward the lights of the city. A road sign told him he was entering Shinjuku and that, if he wanted to go to a place called Harajuku, he'd have to travel another thirty kilometers west.

He wandered into a slum and found a pleasant abandoned apartment complex to settle down in. Of course, he'd move from place to place, but right now he needed rest and this place wasn't much to sniff at. The only unclean thing about it was the dirt, other than that he'd be perfectly comfortable.

"Looks like it's going to be a while before we can go home, Fen" he said, stroking his familiar's head gently. "Let's get some sleep."

The sun greeted him all too early the next day, not to mention the racket of the city outside. The shouts of thugs and the roar of car engines crashed around Luze's sensitive ears in a way he wasn't used to. Yawning, he nudged a still-sleeping Fen with his foot before standing up to stretch.

After checking that Fen's collar and leash were still secure, he used a transportation spell and found himself in different park from the night before. However, unlike like that park, this one was full of people and he was lucky he'd materialized in the trees otherwise he would have been spotted. Even though he had taken that precaution, it proved relatively useless as he was approached almost immediately by a man in what looked like a police uniform.

"Good morning, sir!" he said brightly. "Just a reminder for you to pick up after your dog should he do his business in the park. Thank you and have a nice day." He blinked a moment later as he looked more closely at Fen. "Wow, what a beauty you've go here. Now that I'm getting a better look, he's almost wolf-like! He must be some purebred, I bet you take him to shows all the time."

"I don't" Luze replied. "I see no need to exploit him like that."

"You're a dedicated owner, I see" the officer said with a laugh. Tipping his cap, he said "have a nice day, sir!"

"Humans are rather odd creatures" Luze said to his familiar once the man was gone. "Is such idle chatter normal for them? I saw absolutely no point to that conversation."

He barely made it another few steps before he was assaulted by a small group of children. They all looked to be around maybe eight years old, with large round eyes and cheery faces. For the life of him, Luze couldn't fathom what on earth it was they wanted from him.

"U-um, mister?" one the girls said hesitantly. "Can we pet your dog?"

Luze raised an eyebrow, struck by the oddity of the request. All the same, he gave Fen a meaningful look then knelt down as the children came forward. To his relief, Fen remained calm, even leaning into and licking the children's hands on occasion.

"Thank you for being so kind" Luze looked up as a man approached him. He was tall, with black hair and a kindly countenance. He was dressed in a white lab coat and half-moon glasses framed his eyes, the color of which struck Luze as very familiar. To him, the dark green hue seemed like an exact match to Aria's.

The man clapped his hands. "Okay, children, it's time to head in for your check-ups" he said kindly. "The nurses are waiting for you just over there." Once they had scampered off, he gave a small chuckle. "So energetic, you'd never guess they were ill."

"Ill?" Luze asked, getting to his feet. "Are they really?"

The man nodded. "The girl who asked you about petting your dog, Yuko, she was just diagnosed with leukemia and we're still working on putting it in remission. It was so nice of you to give them that small kindness. Yuko's such a spritely young girl, isn't she? Reminds me of how mine used to be?"

"You have daughter?" Luze asked curiously.

There was a curious pause before the doctor shook his head. "No, a son" he said. "He's a few years younger than you, on his way as a professional violinist." He held out his hand. "I'm Doctor Kirihara Juken, by the way, but most just call me Doctor K. I own that hospital over there." He gestured to a set of large buildings.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" Luze said, feigning politeness. "People just tend to call me Luze."

"Luze, huh?" the doctor said. "Well, thanks again; hope you have a good one!"

"A good what?" Luze said to himself after the doctor left. "Hell! What was that?"

The sudden vibration in his pocket made him jump. After a few moments, he extracted the cell phone from his pocket, flipping it open to see if it would tell him why it was doing such a thing. The name on the screen told him enough and he was thankfully smart enough to figure out the "accept" button.

"Fowler?" he asked.

"Good to see you've figured out how to answer" Reiga said, sounding exhausted. "It took Elegy a few tries and Cadenza nearly destroyed his. Anyway, have you started patrol?"

"I've been trying to" Luze said with a sigh. "But apparently human children take pleasure in petting strangers' dogs. I then got thanked for it by some doctor. Honestly, I don't know how you survived this place; humans are so strange."

Reiga gave small laugh, but his next words weren't directed at him. "What is it, Rina?"

"Kanata-ni, when's Yuki-ni coming home?"

"I'm afraid I don't know" he heard the necromancer say. "I haven't had time to speak with him much. I'm sorry, but this is important, why don't you go play with Mami for now, okay? I'll come read to you once I'm finished."

"Okay!"

"Sorry about that."

"You're at that human orphanage, aren't you?" Luze asked.

"Yes, but pay it no mind, the director caught me on the street and insisted I come and visit" Reiga explained. "At any rate, Elegy told me you're targeting the new Zweilt. The first thing I want you to focus on is getting her name and a physical description. The likeliest place to find her is Izumimari Academy, that's where all the Zweilts go to school. Be careful, though, as you might run into Zess."

"Understood" Luze said after the necromancer had given him the address. "I'll go check it out."

It was already late afternoon by the time he managed to locate the school. As soon as he reached it, however he noticed two rather unfortunate things. One, their was a powerful magical barrier keeping him and other Duras out and two, that his other half was standing a few yards away. Even though he tried to slip away unnoticed, it wasn't long before Luka caught up with him.

"What are you doing here, Luze?" he demanded.

Luze smirked. "Do I need a reason to walk around the human world?" he asked. "In all seriousness, though, it has nothing to do with you. I'm merely here on an errand for the Demon King."

His brother narrowed his eyes at him dangerously. "What sort of errand?" he growled.

"Hmph! does it matter?" Luze asked. "He lost something here and I've been asked to retrieve it, that's all."

"You think I'm going to believe that?"

"You have no choice unless you want to fight it out" Luze countered. "I've already raised a barrier just in case you did resort to violence."

"You-!"

"Luka!" Luze turned as two figures ran up to his brother. One was the blond Zweilt that Cadenza had mentioned, but the girl next to him was definitely not his partner. She certainly wasn't the other female Zweilt he'd heard about either, she was too different. Her aura and overall bearing were far superior to that other girl's. That could only mean one thing.

_And to think it'd be this easy_


	7. Of All the Things to Say

**Le gasp! Two chapters in one day? Thanks for all the kind reviews guys, I'm glad you like the story so far and I hope you continue to read and review. I always appreciate your feedback and I especially appreciate your patience with my delays, especially since I've been neglecting this account recently. Now, please enjoy the chapter.**

**7: Of All The Things to Say**

The payphone near the library was ready and waiting for her. With her heart pounding with nervousness, she dialed, inwardly praying that her parent's would be out.

"Kirihara residence, Tanaka speaking."

Thank God. "Tanaka? It's… it's Kaida."

"Miss!" The butler sounded delighted. "It's been so long, five years at least! Are you well?"

"I am" Kai replied, smiling to herself. Cradling the receiver to her ear, she asked "is… is Ren around?"

"He is" Tanaka said. "And you're lucky, the master and the lady are both out right now, so I can give him in the phone without any problems."

"Thanks, Tanaka, I don't know what I'd do without you."

After a few moments of silence, the voice she'd been dying to hear ever since she left home came over the receiver. It was considerably lower, more mature, but still recognizable to Kai's keen ears as it said "Kirihara Ren speaking. May I ask who's calling?"

"Brother?"

"Kai!" She could practically hear the smile on his face as he said it. "My God, I've missed you so much! Why haven't you called? It's been so long! I want to see you, but mother and father keep telling me you're too busy! Tell me, are you alright? You're happy, right?"

"I'm fine, Ren" Kai replied gently. "You need to calm down, though, or it'll be bad for your health." She took a breath before going on. "I'm sorry I haven't talked to you, but… it's as they said, I've been really busy, so… A-anyway, I'm calling now right? How are you? Are you taking care of yourself?"

"Of course I am" he said with a laugh. "But it's so hard; my world's been so dark without the images you used to show me. I want to know what you look like now, I want to see you smile for me… hear you sing for me…"

"I-I can't do all that from here, I'm afraid" Kai said quietly, wiping away the tears threatening to spill over. "B-but I had something I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Are you… have you gone into the music industry recently?"

There was a pause, then "Yes, I started playing violin the same year you left, but I didn't go professional until last year. Why? Did someone tell you?"

"Some girls were talking about it in class" Kai explained. "I just had a hunch."

Ren laughed softly, but his voice was concerned when he spoke again. "Are you eating properly now? Have you learned to control your powers? Is that Takashiro guy treating you well? Are you getting along with the other Zweilts?"

"It's yes to all of those" Kai said reassuringly. "I never thought being a Zweilt would be something I'd enjoy, but… everyone's so kind and one of my friends joined us recently. You remember Yuki? The boy I told you about?"

"Yes" Ren replied. "I'm glad he's with you; he seemed like such a nice boy when you described him to me- ah, welcome home. I didn't here you come in the door."

"Who are you talking to, Ren?" Kai swallowed thickly when she heard her father's voice. "You need to rest; you have rehearsal tonight, remember?"

"Just a little longer?" she heard him beg. "It's someone very important to me. I promise I won't stress myself!"

"You're already doing so, sweetheart" Kai gripped the receiver tightly as her mother's gentle tone sounded in the distance. "Who is so important that you'd risk pushing yourself like this?"

"Ren, it's alright" Kai whispered hurriedly. "I don't want them to get angry, so let's just end here."

"What? Why?" her brother demanded. "I mean, I see your point, but when will you call again? Ah, hey! Father, hold on!"

"Who is this? What business do you have with my son?"

"I-I'm sorry" Kai said quietly, fighting to keep her voice even. "I just… it's been so long; I wanted to talk to him!"

"You!" her father was livid, though he didn't dare raise his voice in front of the son he'd been deceiving for so long. "Ren, go to your room while I talk to her. You need to be in top condition for next week and you can't do that without rest." He must have left quietly because a moment later her father snarled "You have no business talking to him or even calling this house."

"Who is it dear?" her mother asked.

"The Cause." The name made her throat constrict painfully. So they were still calling her that?

"What the hell does she want?"

"To talk to a young man with whom she has no business doing so" he father growled, emphasizing his words. "You aren't to call here again, understand? Not now, not ever. I'll be raising a complaint to that Takashiro if it happens again, you hear me?"

"Yes" Kai said quietly. "My apologies, Doctor."

"Goodbye, Zweilt."

"Kai! I'm here to get you for… dismissal" Kyoko stopped as Kai hung up the phone. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Fine" she said. "Just fine." She inhaled deeply, then turned back to the orange-haired girl. "Dismissal, right? That was fast."

"English got out early" Kyoko explained. "Um… you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah."

After dismissal, Kai and Kyoko met up with Yuki and Hotsuma. Unfortunately for Kai, her childhood friend was rather quick to notice something was wrong.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

She sighed. "I'm fine, Yuki." Smiling, she added "you don't need to worry about me."

"How do you and Suzuki know each other?" Hotsuma asked.

"We're in the same class, hotrod" Kyoko said, linking arms with Kai. "We're best of buddies now. She's going to appeal to Giou Takashiro to let my dad bring me to work sometime."

"When the hell did I say that?" Kai demanded. Shaking her head, she asked "you have track now, don't you?"

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow!" Once she was gone, Kai became acutely aware that Hotsuma and Yuki were both looking at her in confusion.

"How does she know?" Hotsuma demanded.

"Her father apparently works with Takashiro" Kai explained. "Apparently she asked him who Shuusei was when she saw him at the police station one day. She wants to join up once she's out of college because of her obsession with the supernatural."

"Are you really going to appeal to Takashiro?" Yuki asked.

"No" Kai said flatly as they headed off toward the main gate. "Our work is hard enough without getting innocent people involved." Once they were outside, she asked "speaking of work, isn't Luka supposed to be here?"

"You're right, that's odd" Yuki said. "The new car Takashiro gave him is parked across the street, but… I don't see him."

"Can you locate him through his mind?" Hotsuma asked, turning to Kai. "Shuusei left with Touko and Tsukumo earlier to go help Takashiro, so we can't use his God's Eyes. Do you think you're strong enough?"

Kai nodded. "As much as it annoys me to admit it, that's about all I can do" she said. "I can only function as Shuusei's replacement as far as defense and such goes; I can't fight alongside you offensively."

"You can read minds?" Yuki asked.

"Sort of" Kai replied. "I can see where he is through his mind and also know what his current feelings are at the time. Basically, I get a mental picture of his surroundings from his perspective. But, like I said, that's about all I can do for right now."

"That's fine" Hotsuma said, the turned to Yuki. "Hey, Senshiro should be here soon to pick up Kuroto. Wait inside the gate and go home with them."

"But… Luka" Yuki said. "I'm worried about him."

"Don't worry" Kai said gently. "We'll give him a stern lecture when we bring him back. Now go."

They watched as he reluctantly went and stood back inside the gate. Kai gave him one last smile before closing her eyes to locate Luka. At first, she couldn't find anything, but after she concentrated further, little pieces began floating in her mind. The blurred image of some sort of clearing came into her head before Luka's warped form appeared. There was someone else with him, but she couldn't make out the image clearly enough to see who. The small amount of Luka's emotions was also broken and fuzzy.

"Got him," she said. "but there's a lot of interference. I think there's a barrier in place, but his general location is just south of here."

They ran off in the direction she had indicated, only to arrive at the barrier about ten minutes later. Hotsuma put his hand against it tentatively, only to raise and eyebrow as it passed through with ease. "It's almost too easy."

"Even so, we have to help him" Kai said. "As far as I can tell, it's just the one enemy, but I won't be able to get a clear picture until we're actually inside."

"Well let's get going, then" Hotsuma said, stepping ahead of her and into the barrier. "I'll cover your front, you watch my back."

"Care to NOT remind me of my current state?" Kai asked irritably as she proceeded him. Hotsuma had been waiting for this chance and she knew it; he was itching to show off, to protect her instead of having it be the opposite. To be honest, the thought of him having to protect her irked her to no end. It wasn't Hotsuma specifically; no, it was the fact that she NEEDED protection, the fact that she was too weak to defend herself, let alone others, that annoyed her.

"Geez, I'm on your side, remember?" Hotsuma growled as they continued on. "Any idea where that bastard is? I can't see for shit through these trees."

After a moment, Kai said "they're in a clearing a little ways to the left of us, but…" She shook her head. "his opponent, the resemblance is uncanny, they look almost identical."

"Must be his pain-in-the-ass brother" the blonde said. "He's got a younger twin that's contracted to Reiga. He must be here for Yuki. What's going on in his head?"

"They're still right now" Kai explained. "Although, given the rising tension, it probably won't be long before one of them snaps. I'm not getting any thoughts right now, just anger." She didn't say it out loud, but there were other emotions fighting inside Luka's head, emotions she hadn't expected: sadness, frustration, guilt, and… was that fear? It was all rushing at such a speed that Kai felt she was going to be swept away by it.

Hotsuma's voice brought her back to reality. "We'd better hurry before he destroys the place."

They ran for a couple minutes through the trees before they finally broke into the clearing. Out of a desperate need to distract the Duras from his mounting anger, Kai shouted his name.

"Luka!" It worked; he turned to them as they ran forward, his previous scowl replaced by his usual neutral expression. Kai could sense his surprise, though. "You honestly think we'd let you fight alone?" she demanded. "Honestly! And Touko told me you'd finally started to acknowledge us!"

"It's different this time" Luka replied shortly, turning away from them and back to his opponent. "Surprisingly enough, Luze isn't here for Reiga; he's here for the Demon King."

"Did he say any specifics?" Hotsuma demanded, glaring at their opponent, who only returned his gaze with cool impassivity. This only served to make the blonde address him directly. "Go on, lookalike, what the hell does your king want?"

It was almost imperceptible, but Kai just managed to catch the dark shadow that passed over the Opast's face. The cold fury that came with it hit her like a ton of bricks and, were she not already a full-fledged Zweilt, the force of it probably would have immobilized her. As it was, she swallowed her agitation and took her stance, ready to defend her comrades should it become necessary. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Hotsuma summon his blade.

"Step back" Luka said, looking squarely at Hotsuma. "Kai isn't back to full strength yet, so you should protect her."

"I'm fine, Luka," Kai seethed. "I don't need Hotsuma's damn protection."

"Hey!" came the blonde's indignant shout.

"If you're just going to argue amongst yourselves," the other Duras cut in. "I'll be going."

"Wait" Luka growled. "Luze, what, specifically, were you asked to look for?"

The Duras, Luze, raised an eyebrow. "I fail to see why I'm obligated to answer you, Luka Crosszeria" he said unperturbedly. "You betrayed us, joined the humans, and brought a whole new shame on the entire family. Don't try and demand things of me, Luka, I no longer consider you my brother."

That was it. Kai didn't care that she still wasn't up for fighting, didn't care that her opponent could easily break her in half if he so chose; the Opast's words had infuriated her. Before Hotsuma or even Luka could do anything about it, she was charging forward, bringing her arm back, then swinging it around at full force, ramming Luka's brother, hard, right across the face. The force of it was strong enough to knock the Opast to the ground, spitting blood and looking at her in shock.

"I see Giou's most tragic Zweilt still holds plenty of strength, despite her weakened state" he said. "Although," he smirked as she sank to one knee. "it seems you overdid it. Tche!"

The last sound was made as Kai backslapped the Duras with all the strength she could muster. While he was silent, she glared furiously at him, gritting her teeth, practically shaking with fury.

"Don't…EVER… let me… hear those words… come out of your mouth again" she panted. "Anyone who has a family should treasure every member equally, no matter what mistakes they've made!"

The Opast looked at her incredulously for a moment before smoothing his features back into their impassive mask. Getting to his feet, he looked down at her appraisingly. "You're an odd one" he said after a pause. "I can see it your eyes, you have deep wounds from your past, impossibly deep wounds, yet your spirit is not broken." He turned on his heal, looking back over his shoulder only to say "I hope to learn more about you, Zweilt Kai."

And with that, he was gone in a whirl of wind.

"Kai, you okay?" Hotsuma asked, helping her to her feet. "You… kind of lost it there."

Kai didn't say anything, instead avoiding Luka's gaze as he came forward. However, it seemed the Duras wasn't just going to let things lie.

"You're usually very composed during fights, even when the subject of family is involved." It was simply a statement, yet the unspoken question was an obvious one. All the same, Kai didn't want to answer him. She hadn't told anyone about what had happened after her parents had found out she was a Zweilt, cryptically saying that her powers weren't well appreciated by her mother and father instead.

"We all know the subject of family is tough for you;" This time Hotsuma was pressing her for answers. "it's tough on all of us. But you're usually the one with the clear head when it comes down to it, you never loose it like that. What the hell happened?"

"Nothing" Kai said, getting to her feet and waiting for the world to stop spinning before walking. However, she was destined not to get far.

"What are we to you?" the blond demanded. "We're all Zweilts, aren't we? Hell! Sometimes your aloofness is worse that this guy's!" He gestured flamboyantly at Luka.

Kai looked back at them, then turned away again. After a few more steps, she said "It's got nothing to do with any of you, so don't ask me again."


	8. Blindsighted Meeting

**8: Blindsided Meeting**

Luze collapsed onto the bench, utterly worn out. Although he hadn't exactly done anything physically demanding, the meeting with Luka had still taken a lot out of him. He had had to fight to retain his composure, to resist asking his brother about his life before he sided with the humans; that had taken more will power than he had expected and now here he was, slumped on a bench and staring pensively on the ground.

To be honest, he did have plenty to think about. That Zweilt had come to him all on her own, despite obviously being in a severely weakened state; foolish for her, yes, but quite convenient for him. Still, she had impressed him with the amount of force she'd put behind her punch; were it not for his high-speed regeneration abilities, he was pretty sure his jaw would have taken quite some time to heal. There was also the fact that he'd still have that sizable mark on his cheek from where she'd slapped him. Yes, all in all, he had been quite impressed with her strength and it made him wonder what she was capable of at her best.

He also had to wonder at the cause of her attack. One simple statement seemed to have sent her right over the edge. It had surprised him, and Luka's words had confirmed for him that the girl was usually quite composed when it came to fighting.

"'Even when the subject of family is involved'" he echoed, running his hand over Fen's head as he spoke. "You did well to stay behind and eavesdrop" he added, smiling slightly at his familiar. "It seems the wounds from her past are heavily related to her family, but something recent was what sent her over the edge back then. Getting information on her will be hard given that, from what you reported, it seems she hasn't confided any specifics in her comrades."

For now, the best option was to call Reiga and report to him. He dug the phone out of his pocket and dialed the number the necromancer had given him. After listening to what was possibly the most annoying, not to mention monotonous, sound ever, the man finally picked up.

"Hello?" Luze blinked, the voice was livelier than usual.

"Fowler?" he asked hesitantly.

"Ah! It's good to here from you! Hold on, let me just go outside for a bit." There was a long pause before the necromancer's voice was back to normal. "This is about the fourth time someone has demanded my company today" he sighed. "A party, of all things! But don't pay attention to my petty annoyances, what did you find?"

"I didn't get a surname, but the name on her ring read 'Kaida'" Luze said. "As for description, she has long black hair that falls just above hip-length. I'd hazard a guess at mixed race as well, given her light grey eyes and pale skin. She stands around the same height as God's Light, if I remember properly."

"Did she go by a nickname?" The question struck Luze as rather odd, but he answered all the same.

"I believe the blond Zweilt called her Kai" he said.

"I see." An audible sigh escaped his contractor's lips. "I know who you're talking about, she's an old friend of God's Light. She'll be a tough one to crack, seeing as she was quite the happy girl when I met her. Finding any darkness in her heart will be a challenge; there very well may be nothing of use to exploit."

"Family" Luze explained. "The subject of family seems to be a common thorn in the sides of the Zweilts. I was on the receiving end of two furious blows just for saying I didn't consider Luka my brother. Even before that, I could tell that there is some sort darkness that she's hiding from her comrades. Whatever it is, I believe it will be just what we need to take advantage of."

"Family, huh?" Reiga seemed to think for a moment before replying "Well, see what you can dig up, but I want you to meet up with Elegy and Cadenza in three days to exchange what information you have. In the meantime, keep searching, but don't forget your other job as well."

"I won't" Luze replied firmly. "I'll meet up with them in three days then."

"I'm being summoned" the necromancer said, his voice once again that cheery tone from before. "It was good talking to you."

The line went dead before Luze had a chance to reply back. Shaking his head, he returned the device to his pocket and leaned back, looking up at the sun-streaked sky. This time, he was the one to sigh.

Just how long was this going to take?

He wasn't really complaining, he had quite the research specimen, after all, but there was the fact that he really didn't want to stay here for too long. Luze couldn't describe the reason exactly, but the human world made him uneasy. Part of it was their unpredictability, yes, but the other part, the unidentifiable one, gave him a gut-clenching feeling of foreboding.

"Excuse me?"

Luze started. The human male had approached him so quietly that he hadn't been able to sense him. The fact that someone actually had the capability to do that without being a Zweilt or a Duras was slightly unnerving. All the same, he looked up at the hooded figure, raising and eyebrow questioningly. "Yes?"

"You have some sort of animal with you, don't you?" he asked. "Am I right to assume that it's a dog?"

Luze stared at him. Was the human playing with him? Fen was rather larger than normal Huskies and looked far more wolf-like to boot; how the hell could this human not tell? Was he an idiot or was he feigning stupidity for some reason?

When the human removed his hood, the Opast found himself gaping. He was the spitting male image of the Zweilt. Although his black hair was cropped closer to his head, he stood several inches taller, and he was somewhat paler, he could be her twin. Hell, maybe he was.

But then Luze saw his eyes. Like the girl's, they were grey, but it wasn't the same, sharp, more-silver-than-grey like hers. This human's eyes were a milky, cloud-colored grey that reminded him of something between a dark storm cloud and a normal overcast day. A ghostly fog lightened his pupils considerably as well.

The young man was blind.

"Sir?" he asked hesitantly. "Is something wrong?"

"Ah, no" Luze replied hurriedly. "Yes, he's a dog. His name is Fen."

"Fen… that's an interesting name for a dog" the human mused. He knelt down, then asked "do you mind if I touch him? It's the only way I can get a general idea of what he looks like."

"Go ahead" Luze said. He was interested to see how a blind human interacted with the world. After all, the inferior race depended largely on their eyes to perceive things and hardly ever relied on their other senses. From Luze's point of view, a blind human was probably the most pitiful of the race.

The human placed his hands gently on Fen's head. After running his thumbs over the wolf's ears carefully, he cupped his muzzle in one hand and ran two fingers across his snout with the other. The young man then proceeded to inspect Fen's paws, running a hand up one of his forelegs all the way to his neck. Finally, he placed his hand on the wolf's back and ran his fingers through the dark grey fur.

Obviously satisfied, he smiled and sat back on his heels. "He's a Husky; a big one by the feel of his paws and probably from a long line of purebreds from the thickness and smoothness of his fur. He also seems closer to a wolf, but that's to be expected from a particularly purebred dog. Am I right?"

"Yes" Luze replied. "You could tell just by touching him?"

The human nodded. "As you've probably noticed, I can't see" he said, making it sound as if it were no big deal. "Since I can't use my eyes to look at the world, I have to perceive it through my other senses: smell, sound, taste, and, as you just saw now, touch." He smiled gently, this time petting Fen as any normal human would. "It's tough sometimes, but I get by."

The note of sadness did not escape Luze's heightened senses. "There's a part of you that wishes otherwise, though, isn't there?"

The young man blinked. The fact that he could look directly at Luze without actually seeing made the Opast wonder just how good the human's ears were. Right now, though, he had to focus on his voice as he said "you're quite the soul reader."

"You want to talk about it?" He didn't know what had prompted him to ask, but he was curious about this human, who could survive in this world without his eyes. There was also the possibility of this boy being related to that Zweilt, although, though he wouldn't admit it then, only a very small part of him was concerned with his mission at that time.

The smoothness with which the human sat next to him surprised him yet again. This boy was able to move and interact with people as though he wasn't actually blind; his senses must be pretty on par with those of a Zweilt or even up near Duras proportions.

"The problem" he began. "is that I'm not entirely sure where to start." He sighed. "For the past six years, my world has been nothing but black, nothing but sounds, smells, noises and the like. There's no light, only dark."

So he hadn't always been blind. "Did you loose your eyes in an accident?" he asked.

The human shook his head. "I was born this way" he replied. "several years ago, the one person who had always been able to put color in my life went away. That person made me feel alive, like I could do anything I wanted…" He paused, his smile fading. "That person was the only one not only willing to, but also capable of making me forget just how weak I really am."

"Weak?" The human did look rather thin for a boy of his age and height, though it wasn't unpleasantly so.

He nodded, clutching the front of his hooded jacket as he focused on the ground. "I get sick easily and more often than I'd care to admit" he explained. "Over the years, I've gained a little strength and I'm no longer confined to a wheelchair like I used to be, but… but it's still just a frustrating as ever."

"Even worse without that person?" Luze ventured.

"Yes" the boy replied. "Ever since I lost that person, my parents have been extremely overprotective. I can't do any sports, can't stay up too late, can't eat certain foods; it's all can't, can't, can't and I hate it. The only thing I can do that they allow is play my music, though all my performances are afternoons and early evenings only."

"You're professional? That's amazing!" Luze was genuinely impressed; to think a blind boy could play an instrument to the point where he'd get paid to do so.

"Thanks" he said, smiling slightly. "My violin is the only possession that I truly treasure. Sure, I love reading, but the Braille always reminds me of my disability." He clenched his fists in his lap. "I don't think this would matter to me so much if I still had that person, that one person to tell me that the world is mine, that I _can_. But… but that person is gone and I don't know when I'll ever see her again."

Her? So this special person was a girl. "A sister?" Luze asked hesitantly.

He nodded. "My younger twin" he said, smiling warmly now. "She can brighten up anyone's day and nothing seems to get her down." His smile faded. "That is, until she had to leave. During the period leading up to it, my parents would often take me out of the house, saying she needed to be alone in order to 'prepare', so I never knew what was going through her head at the time. But I did notice how something inside of her seemed to have collapsed. She always sounded so sad when she talked to me, a rare occurrence in and of itself those days, and I could tell from the feel of her hands that she wasn't eating much. Now that I think about it, she didn't eat meals with us either; I think she took them in her room."

"Then?" Luze could tell that the human had more to say and, as ashamed as he was to admit it, he wanted to hear more.

"She left; just up and left with barely a word of goodbye." The boy held his head in his hands now. "I knew she was going to go, but… it was so sudden; she came into my room one evening, left, then wasn't there in the morning." He inhaled, sounding as though he was holding back tears. "I'll never forget what she said before she left."

"What was it?"

"That she wouldn't 'hurt me ever again'" he said. "Even now, I still don't know what she meant. She'd never hurt me in the first place! I was the one who… who hurt her. I-I still can't forgive myself for what I did." He looked down at his shaking hands with wide eyes.

"Are you alright?" Luze asked.

"I-I had a seizure" he said, not giving any sign as to whether or not he registered Luze's presence. "Before my dad got promoted and we moved to Shinjuku, I had a seizure. It was at dinner… the steak knife was still in my hand… and it was my sister who tried to restrain me first… I-I cut her… I can still remember her blood on my hands."

"Hey! Calm down!" Luze put both his hands on the trembling boy's shoulders. The human's behavior was honestly beginning to scare him.

Thankfully, he calmed down almost immediately. "Sorry about that" he said, sounding just as exhausted as Luze felt. "And… thank you for listening."

"It was nothing; I'm sorry for making you relive something painful."

He shook his head. "No, I… I feel really good right now," he said. "This is the first time I've really be able to talk to someone about how I feel." He laughed. "It's odd, you're a complete stranger, yet you seem so trustworthy."

"I'm not" Luze said quietly.

"What?" The human looked at him in surprise.

Luze stood. "I'm not someone a good kid like you should get mixed up with" he said. "I'm not good, I'll only end up hurting you in the end."

"I don't believe that." The boy stood too. "If you were truly a bad person, you wouldn't be saying stuff like that." He shook his head as he placed a hand on the Opast's shoulder. "You may think you're a bad person, but I think, soon enough, you'll see differently."

He shrugged the hand off. "You're hopelessly optimistic."

The boy laughed again. "Maybe, but I still meant what I said" he replied.

"There you are!" They both turned as a woman hurried toward them. Her blonde hair was pinned back, but still fell over her shoulders in loose blonde curls. Her grey eyes sparkled with energy and concern as she reached them, taking the boy's hand and saying "What have you been doing? You said you'd be back after taking a short walk!"

"I was talking to…" he turned to Luze. "I didn't catch your name" he said.

"Luze."

"I was talking to Luze, mother."

Mother? The woman was certainly older than the boy, but she looked quite young at the same time. There was something else bother him too, though: her appearance, minus her eyes, was so similar to Aria's that, given the situation, she could very well be Aria's mother as well. The twin the boy had been referring to could also have been Aria.

But then… where did the Zweilt fit in?

"Ah, I see you've found him! Oh, and Luze, we meet again!" The doctor from that morning came upon them as well. Clapping the boy on the shoulder, he said "I see you've been taking good care of my son, here. Thank you!"

"I-it was nothing" Luze replied, now extremely confused. The boy had talked so lovingly about a twin sister, looked almost exactly like that Zweilt, and had a mother that, if you replaced her eyes with her husband's, could be an older version of Aria. And yet that same husband had denied having a daughter of any kind.

"I didn't really introduce myself earlier" the boy's voice broke him out of his thoughts. Holding out his hand, he said "My name is Kirihara Ren."

He shook the hand in a daze, not even aware of his bidding goodbye to the family. As he collapsed back onto the bench, all he was aware was the incident where Aria had disappeared. There had been that hooded figure in the light and Aria had whispered a name that came back to him with the force of a gunshot.

_R-Ren._

A blind boy named Ren, the figure in the mirror, Aria, a woman who could be her mother, and man who could be her father, had it just been those facts, Luze could've easily pinned the group as Aria's family. But then there was the fact that the doctor had completely denied have a daughter… and the Zweilt. People who were unrelated could look uncannily similar, he knew that, but that was impossible when it was on this scale.

A simple mission had just been turned upside-down with the appearance of two outliers. Now Luze was left to piece this extremely convoluted puzzle together.

What the hell was going on?


	9. Answers

**So I've reached the first of several little plot twists in the fic, meaning I'm getting close to the end. I'm thinking we're looking at... a hesitant twenty-five to thirty chapters for this fic? Of couse, I say this when I'm just posting chapter 9, but I was thinking about just finishing the fic and then posting it in tri-daily increments or something...**

**For now, I'm on chapter 19 of the fic and I swear the action picks up. There will be a mature content warning on either chapter 20 or 21, just know that, I'm not changing the rating on the fic for one brief scene.  
**

**9: Answers**

_K-Kai? Are you alright?"_

_I'm fine, Ren._

_But your arm… I…_

_It's fine, Ren; it's nothing compared to what could have happened to you._

_So that's what happened… well, I'm afraid that, even when God's Light does come to us, this wound can't be erased._

_I see… then I suppose it's best that I'm here._

_Why is that?_

_Now he won't feel guilty._

"Ah!"

Kai looked up sharply as Touko and Aya entered the bath, inwardly cursing her carelessness; she should've sensed their consciousnesses long before they reached this place. Even though she hurriedly covered her right arm with her hand, the damage was done. Touko slipped into the bath and gently removed her hand, looking first at her arm, then at her face, her expression almost hurt.

"What is this, Kai?" she asked.

"It's nothing" Kai replied, taking her arm out of the older girl's grip. "It happened a long time ago, so don't worry about it."

"That's why you would always tie a cloth around your arm before getting in the bath" Touko said. "You said it was to relax the muscles!"

Kai didn't look at her. "I don't want to talk about it, Touko. It's nothing."

Before her fellow Zweilt could say anything, she was out of the water and out into the antechamber and changing into her pajamas. She had just slid on her tank-top and was about to follow it up with a hoodie when she heard the door open behind her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Yuki said, turning away quickly. "I didn't know anyone else was in here!"

"You're full of carelessness today, aren't you?" Hotsuma was standing just behind Yuki (Tsukumo, Luka, and even Shuusei were present as well). "I mean, first you loose it during a fight, then you forget to lock the door- what the hell is up with your arm? Is that from today?"

"What? Dammit!" Kai hastily tugged on the jacket, obscuring the mark, and walked out into the hall, shutting the door behind her. "Touko and Aya are in there" she explained. "As for my arm, don't pay attention to it, it's nothing."

"Can I heal it?" Yuki asked hesitantly.

She shook her head. "It was made by a loved one" she said quietly. "I got it a while ago, before moving to Shinjuku. Like I said, don't pay attention to it, it's nothing."

As she turned away, she heard Tsukumo say "but it's not nothing." He looked at her sadly as she turned back. "I can hear it, Kai, that mark is just one more thing that makes you so sad."

"We've all heard that you had it the worst when your parents found out you were a Zweilt" Shuusei said. "Did they-!"

"NO!" Kai didn't look at them, instead focusing on the floor. "No! I told you, this happened before Shinjuku, before any of this Zweilt shit started! Ah!" She covered her mouth as the others stared at her. "I-I didn't mean it like that!" she said desperately, looking more at Yuki than anyone else. "Y-Yuki, I don't regret being a Zweilt, I swear it!"

"K-Kai…" Yuki didn't look hurt, didn't look angry, just sad. "What happened to you?"

"N-nothing" It was getting harder and harder to fight back the tears. She wanted to run, get as far away from everyone as she could. They didn't need to see her cry, they didn't need to know just how pathetic she was.

It was Luka who first sprang into action. Seizing her by the wrist, he said "As God's Light, Yuki has a right to know what truly lies in the Zweilts' hearts. You're no exception."

"Let go, Luka" Kai warned. "I don't want to fight you."

"You know Yuki can use his abilities regardless of whether or not you're awake, right?"

She stared at him. The Opast was looking down at her, with no intent of giving her an alternative. But she wasn't going to lie down and expose everything, nor was she going to let Luka force it out of her.

He let out a small hiss as she dug her fingers into his wrist, jarring the pressure point and forcing his hand open. Unfortunately, she barely made it around the corner before something hard hit her in the back of the head. Her knees buckled, and the last thing she became aware of before sinking into darkness was the crimson double-X on Luka's arm.

_Bastard._

"Sweetheart, you going to be fine, don't worry." Her father was sitting next to her, smoothing her bangs out of her face. Despite his gesture, they fell back, quite stubbornly, over her left eye.

Things seemed to have turned topsy-turvy in the course of less than a week. Instead of Ren, it was Kai lying in bed with her father trying to figure out what was wrong. She had taken all her meals in her room, all the while fearing what might happen the instant someone entered. What would she see? What emotions would she feel?

A rare form of Schizophrenia, that's what she'd heard her father tell her mother. It seemed that, despite the nearly eleven years she had gone being healthy, Kai, too, was destined to be handicapped.

How would she take care of Ren like this? Her big brother needed her to see, but she couldn't do that without the threat of the images and emotions taking over. The frustration was enough to make her cry.

But she wouldn't cry, she never cried. She had to be strong, had to be happy for Ren. Ren was what mattered, Ren was the one who needed to be cared for. She couldn't cry in front of him.

She couldn't.

"Kai, this man is Giou Takashiro; he says he can… help you." Kai could here the annoyance in her father's voice as he led the man into her room. Barely two weeks had gone by since she'd collapsed and her father was already bringing in a specialist? Was her case really beyond her father's abilities?

"Okay, we're all together." Her mother sounded just as annoyed as her father. "Now what was this you were saying downstairs? What powers were you referring to?"

"Powers?" Kai hated how weak her own voice sounded; hoarse from lack of sleep and lack of use.

"Yes" the man called Takashiro said gently. "Kaida, you're not sick; you're powers as a Zweilt guardian are in the process of awakening. As unfortunate as it is, I'm afraid the first stages of true awakening are always the hardest. When you were smaller, I'm sure you could do things that were out of the ordinary, couldn't you? Those things seemed safe at the time, never causing harm to you or anyone around you, right?"

She nodded, startling her mother, who demanded "What do you mean? What things, Kaida?"

"Ren can't see," she said. "and I found out one day that I can show people what I see by showing it to their mind. I-I just wanted him to see what was outside the darkness he lives in. We didn't do it a lot, just when he really needed to see it; like when we went to the fireworks festival last summer…"

"I suppose I should've expect that you'd already mastered your projection abilities to such a degree" Takashiro said, sounding almost proud of her. "You see, Doctor, your daughter is special, even among Zweilts, because she has the powers of both halves."

"Halves?" her father repeated, confused.

"Yes" Takashiro replied. "Zweilts typically come in pairs, but Kaida here is her own pair. Her abilities will make one of the Giou Clan's strongest guardians." He held out something to her: a small box with a pair of identical rings, Agla Kaida inscribed in both of them, slung on a fine chain. "Wear this" he said. "and you won't have problems with you powers. I have to make preparations, but, soon enough, we'll arrange for you to come and train to control your powers."

"Hold on!" Her mother was the one who had shouted. "You're going to take my child away? What of her brother? They're twins! You can't separate them when they're so close!"

"Twin?" Takashiro looked stunned. After handing the necklace to Kai, he turned back to them and said "it seems we have more to discuss, but it'd be best not to do so here." He smiled at Kai before leaving. "I look forward to seeing you again, Kaida."

The days following that meeting were drastically different from the ones Kai had known beforehand. Both of her parents seemed cold and distant whenever she was around and he mother had even slapped her in a couple of private scenes. Her father had even hit her with a sizeable dictionary, though he had claimed it was an accident. Shortly after that incident, he'd started making her walk to school.

They had both taken to yelling at her for the smallest mistakes as well and Kai had gone more than a couple days without food because they had "forgotten" to call her down. It didn't take a week for Kai to realize that they were doing it on purpose, even going so far as to take Ren out of the house on various adventures without telling her when they were going to be back.

One evening, after missing dinner yet again, Kai found herself desperate enough to sneak down to the kitchen in hopes of grabbing a few leftovers. When she reached the first floor of the house, she found the light in the parlor and the door slightly ajar. She made to turn back, but the voices of her parents rooted her to the spot.

"When are they coming?" Her mother was in hysterics.

"Soon, dear, soon. They'll take her away to the Twilight mansion next Monday while Ren's at school." Kai swallowed as she realized her father was talking about her.

"I can't wait much longer! She's not our daughter! She's the monster that stole Ren's health! Oh why couldn't I have two healthy children? Why couldn't I have given birth to two HUMANS?"

Monster? She was the reason Ren was always sick? She had taken his ability to see? Then she really did deserve this treatment. She really was a bad girl, she didn't deserve her parents' affection.

She didn't deserve to live with Ren.

"Shh. Calm down, sweetheart, calm down, it's alright. We won't have to see her after next week, so just bare with it a little while longer."

That's right, just a little longer; only a few minutes to pack her suitcase. Once the task was complete, she tucked what money she had saved into a small satchel along with the number Takashiro had given her. After taking care that the rings were secure around her neck, she slipped quietly into Ren's room.

"Kai?"

"Did I wake you?"

"No… Kai? You sound sad."

She was indeed holding back tears. "It's nothing, Ren; you need sleep, so please don't worry about it."

"Are you leaving? You have a suitcase next to you, don't you?"

He always had been perceptive. "Yes… I won't hurt you ever again, brother."

Before he could say anything else, she hurried from his room, out the front door, and into the night. She knew where the payphone was in the nearby park and dialed Takashiro's number.

"Hello?"

"M-Mr. Takashiro? I-it's Kirihara Kai."

"What can I do for you?"

"Can you take me early?"

There was a shocked silence on the other end of the receiver. "Are you sure?" he asked. "You're not scheduled to leave until next Monday; don't you want to spend what time you have left having fun with your family."

"P-please? I w-want to g-go n-now."

"Are you alright? You sound like you're crying… and where are you? This isn't your home number."

"A-at the p-park." Her voice was nothing more than a squeak. "I d-don't t-think I c-can t-tell you e-everything n-now."

"_I understand; just wait right where you are, I'll be there soon."_

Kai sat up with a jolt, breathing heavily. Casting her eyes around widely, she suddenly realized where she was.

"My room?"

"Luka carried you." Yuki was sitting on the edge of the bed. Kai cast a glare at the door, hoping it would reach the currently absent Opast, before turning back to her friend, noticing the expression on his face.

"Y-you saw… didn't you?" she asked. "How much?"

"From when Ren had a seizure to where Takashiro picked you at the park" he replied quietly.

"I see." She lay back against the pillows with a sigh. "The only major thing that happened after that was that Takashiro told me about my first life. The story that he told my parents was different in that he only said that, because of my magical power, Ren shouldn't have survived. They, like me, saw it as my fault that Ren was unhealthy."

"Do you… still feel that way?" Yuki asked hesitantly.

"No" she replied, smiling reassuringly at him. "Honestly, I don't feel that way at all. After I heard the story of my past, I realized that it wasn't my fault, but that of my parents in my first life; they cursed me and I can't forgive them for that. It's because of them that I was so miserable. I'm sorry, Yuki, but I don't think you can erase that from my heart."

"What about your current parents?"

She shook her head. "I forgave them long ago" she said. "I don't have time for grudges. It hurts that I can't see my brother, but at least I have you and the other Zweilts to help ease the pain."

"I'm just glad that you're happy here" he said. "All I want is for everyone to live here happily; laughing, smiling together." He looked at her seriously. "But Kai, it's also okay to cry. We'll support you, so you can let it all out; you don't have to keep it together all the time."

Kai took his hand, smiling gently as she looked at him. "Thank you, Yuki." It was all she could say at the moment, but she put all her feelings behind the words. Maybe now, after all these years, she could finally find the strength to show her emotions; no longer would she lock them behind a stone wall.

It was time for her to trust.

A knock on the door let Touko into the room. She smiled nervously, asking "did I interrupt?" When they both shook their heads, she continued "Well, Sairi and Ria have returned… again."

Kai stiffened. "What do you mean 'again'?"

Touko shrunk back a bit, quite aware of her feelings towards that particular pair. "They came back once a little while ago, but had to leave again to finalize their retirement from the entertainment industry. They… just got back now." She paused for a while before finally saying "you should go down and see them!"

After a moment of deliberation, Kai finally sighed, resigning herself to an utterly unpleasant reunion. Slipping out of bed, she stretched, then, much to both Touko and Yuki's surprise, tossed her hoodie onto the blankets.

"You're not wearing it?" Yuki asked.

"The mansion's pretty warm as it is" Kai replied with a shrug. "Plus," she grinned, " I need to let people see me for who I really am." A thought occurred to her that made her laugh slightly. "Ria will have a field day with this."

"Do you and Ria not get along?" Yuki asked as the three of them headed toward the entrance hall.

"Not really" she said. "I don't really get it myself, but she disliked me from the beginning and, as time went on, I found I didn't like her, so it just kind of went from there. To be honest, though, it's Sairi I really can't stand; he's such a condescending asshole."

"Don't start anything, Kai," Touko begged. "Listening to Kuroto and Hotsuma argue is bad enough without you and Ria starting anything. And I'll be frank, it gets plain scary when you and Sairi go for each other's necks."

"Don't worry" Kai reassured her. "Takashiro won't tolerate anything serious," she smiled, "so I'll I just keep it to playful banter. Besides, we were always at odds in our past lives."

"Really?" Yuki looked at her in shock. "Why?"

"It's a little complicated-!"

"OH MY GOD, YOU'RE ALIVE?" Ria's voice echoed as it rang from the sitting area below.

"Don't sound too disappointed" Kai replied as she descended the stairs. "I hear you've both retired from show biz; shame, really. I'm sure you both broke plenty of hearts doing so."

"It's not like you to compliment us" Sairi drawled from his seat on the couch. "Ulterior motive of some sort?"

"I'm just trying to be pleasant" Kai said, doing her best to hide her annoyance. "After all, I'm in a pretty good mood right now. I mean, I just had a very enlightening chat with Yuki here." She turned back to him and smiled. Knowing full well that Sairi was already miffed and that it would only take a bit more to genuinely piss him off, she said "we need to catch up properly some time, okay, Yuki? It's been quite a long time since the Asahi days and I haven't heard much of what you were up to during the time I was gone."

"Y-yes!" Yuki was obviously flustered, but pleased at the same time. "I'd like that."

Sairi's glare was priceless, but he quickly erased it, saying, "I thought the daughter of a Broadway actress would be more careful about keeping her body in top condition. I mean, those scars aren't exactly something you need to display to the public. And are you being your stubborn mule self again and refusing to let Yuki heal them? Or are you just being self-righteous and sparing him the pain?"

It was Kai's turn to glare, but before her violent tendencies could take over, Yuki spoke up. Preceding her down to the bottom of the steps, he gave the now retired actor a serious look. Even as just an observer, she could sense his strong will to protect his comrades.

"Sairi" he said. "It's wrong of you to speak ill of people when you don't know the whole truth. Kai… Kai's scars can't be erased by my power because she…" He looked back at her hesitantly.

"My brother did this" she said simply, running her fingers over the three thin bands of raised flesh. They stretched from the front of her upper arm to the back, spanning the outer half of the limb. They basically looked like a cat had taken its claws and swiped them across her arm up near her shoulder.

"It was an accident" she explained, looking at the others with unwavering eyes. "I haven't told you all much about my family beyond my parents' identities and the fact that I have a brother. My brother has always had a weak constitution, which was much worse when we were younger, and he was often prone to seizures. At the time of the incident, however, the epileptic fits were becoming steadily rarer and we thought he would be able to handle utensils on his own for good."

She cast her eyes to the ground. "We were wrong. The fit was one of the worst he'd ever had and I was the first to reach him. I got cut in my attempt to restrain his arms while he was still holding onto a knife."

"That's…" Hotsuma trailed off.

"I had no idea" Shuusei said.

"Is he still like that?" Kuroto asked hesitantly.

Kai shook her head, smiling at them now. "Nope! He still gets sick easily, but, judging from our phone conversation earlier today, he's a lot stronger than before."

"I take it that phone call explains your unusual behavior as well?" Luka had just walked into the room, massaging his wrist. "Even that pervert can't reactivate the nerve, so would you kindly restore feeling to my hand?"

Sairi snickered. "You two fight?" he asked.

"Not exactly" Luka replied curtly. He hissed sharply as Kai jerked his wrist back. "What the _hell_ was that f- oh."

"Better?"

"Much."

**I'm also on page 159 and over 60,000 words, making this my longest fic ever. I think that just goes to show how much I REALLY like Uraboku XD  
**


	10. A Series of Unexpected Encounters

**HaHA! So the entirety of this fic is finished and I will be uploading the chapters on a semi-daily basis. Unfortunately all the chapters will not be up by Friday, so there will be about a two-week hiatus while I'm in California for college visiting.**

**By the way, I've given up on extensive proofreading for the time being. It's summer, a time where I can be lazy, so please bear with the minor mistakes here and there  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

**10: A Series of (Un)expected Encounters**

"You'll never guess what juicy information tidbit I found out the other day!"

Cadenza's rather audible sigh conveyed the same feeling of exasperation that Luze was silently harboring. Honestly, Elegy just needed to get to the point; she spent far too much time bantering and not enough time telling them what was actually important. Unfortunately, because of his status, Luze couldn't call her out on it and was thus left to hope that his redheaded superior would do so soon.

"Knock it off, Elegy, I'm sick of your teasing. Just get on with it and tell us already."

_Thank you_.

"That side of you is so unpleasant, Cadenza" the female general whined. "But, if you insist-!"

"I do" he growled. This time Luze inwardly prayed the two wouldn't start fighting. The last thing he needed to do was explain to Reiga why the two generals had already been severely injured, despite having spent less than a week in the human world.

Thankfully, Elegy simply huffed, then said "well, I managed to entice a man into taking me to dinner and then after that he took me back to his apartment. Once we there, he proceeded to get roaring drunk and started weeping pitifully over how two of his top stars were retiring. He's a director, you see. Now look what he gave to me."

She held out what turned out to be a magazine, the cover reading "Otona Ria and Shinmei Sairi: Retirement Rumors True!" Turning to the designated page, the male Opasts found the two-page spread dominated by the photos of a young man and a young woman.

"So?" Cadenza asked after glancing at the pictures. "What's so important about a couple human celebrities retiring?"

"They're Zweilts" Luze said quietly. At Cadenza's confused expression, he pointed to the photos. "Look at their hands" he said. "Those rings are the same make as the other guardians'."

"So they are" the redheaded general said, looking more closely this time. "So that's why they pulled out, isn't it?" He sighed. "Now we have one more pair to deal with. They look boring, so one of you can take them."

"I've got nothing on my pair yet" Elegy said. "While I keep looking, why don't you take them, Luze? Surely you can squeeze them in with your job for the king as well?"

Luze shook his head. "My apologies, general," he said. "but I cannot. It seems as though I've stumbled into quite the maze regarding my target and it will take me some time to piece it all together. It may also be related to my mission for his royal highness; even more reason to focus solely on that for the moment."

"What did you find?" Cadenza asked.

"I cannot tell you everything without delving into why the king sent me here" Luze explained. "The most I can say now is that she is certainly an enigma and that there is a deep darkness in her heart that even we may not be able to touch."

"Sounds interesting" Elegy said with a small giggle. "I'll take the two celebrities, then. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy it; after all, I always have preferred the glamorous life."

With that, they scattered. No one had collected much information on their targets besides Luze and, as he had said, he could not disclose what he had found without telling the king's secrets. Overall, other than the discovery of this other Zweilt pairing, the meeting had been completely pointless.

The next week or so was spent in deep thought, but it served to do absolutely nothing for him. Having no idea where to start as far as his investigation was concerned, Luze decided to take a leisurely walk through the now bustling streets of Shinjuku. He hoped that maybe, just maybe, something might come to him.

"Kiri-niichan!"

The child's cry made him look up with a start. Somehow, unbeknownst to him, his feet had carried him back to that peculiar park once again. Luze found himself blinking in surprise as he saw the blind Ren standing amid a crowd of small children, the very same crowd that had crowded around him a mere few days ago. The little girl with cancer that the doctor had pointed out to him was crying for some reason and he was amazed to see how quickly the young man picked her up and began to comfort her.

"What's wrong, Yuko?" he heard him ask.

"M-Mommy and Daddy are saying I can't play outside anymore!" the child sobbed. "They say I can't do anything too rough because of my disease!" She clutched at his shirt. "I'm too weak!"

"No, no you're not" The force of the words hit Luze at full force. The memory of before and now this current scene confirmed for him that, whatever Ren said, he always meant it. No matter what the situation was, he was genuinely honest.

"He's a rare breed among humans" he said quietly to his familiar. "There are very few honest humans in the world, Fen, never forget that. Their inherent sinfulness is what makes them so disgusting and it's only proper that we, as the superior race, should eradicate them."

"Yuko," Ren was speaking again, "don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't do something, okay?" He smiled at her, "Just look at me. I get sick all the time and I can't use my eyes, but that hasn't stopped me. Do you know why?"

"Why?" the little girl sniffed.

"When I was little, my parents, like yours, were convinced that, because of my blindness and weak body, I couldn't do anything without getting hurt. However, at the same time, I had someone by my telling me the opposite, that I could catch the stars if I wanted to. That person told me everyday that, no matter what my parents said, I could do anything I put my mind to. And look at me now! I'm was just playing the violin over in Akihabara not too long ago!"

The child smiled at him, then hugged the boy tightly. "Thank you, Kiri-niichan!"

"Will you play for us?" a boy asked.

"Why not?" Luze watched as Ren took the case that had been slung across his shoulders this entire time and knelt down to the ground. He opened it, and first came a sleek, black wooden bow, the hair of which already gray with constant, but still in immaculate condition.

After coating the bow in a good layer of rosin, Ren at last took his instrument from the case. It was made up of the same black mahogany as the bow and looked like it was brand new. However, Luze could tell from the way the human handled it that the violin was no stranger to his fingers. He watched as the instrument situated itself snuggly, perfectly, between his jaw and his shoulder, waiting to hear just was sort of sound a blind man would produce.

It was stunning; Luze had to keep his jaw from dropping as he watched the human play. Ren's fingers glided flawlessly across the strings the Opast knew were invisible to his eyes. His arm shifted smoothly from string to string in perfect rhythm, not once sliding across two unless he intended to do so. The relationship he held with the violin was that of an old friend, one that could never forced from the other's side by even natures most absolute form of separation.

The sonata came to an end and Luze found himself letting out a breath he didn't remember holding in the first place. Entranced by the human's talent, he walked over and tapped Ren on the shoulder.

"I was skeptical," he said. "but I must say I was blown away by that performance."

"Ah! Luze! I thought I recognized you." The boy positively beamed at him. "You really liked it?"

"I did" the Opast replied. "But what do you mea you 'recognized' me?"

"The hand on my shoulder" the boy replied. "I thought it was yours. I told you I have to perceive the world in different ways and touch is one of them. Remember? You put your hands on my shoulders before when you tried to calm me down."

"Ah, right" Luze replied, slightly thrown off by the fact that he had remembered that.

"Alright, kids, time to go in!" The doctor was upon them now. He blinked, the laughed jovially as he saw the Opast. "We meet once again, my boy!" he said, clapping Luze on the shoulder. "What brings you here again?"

"Nothing much" Luze said with a shrug. "I was just passing through."

"Well why don't you come and have lunch with us?" Ren asked. "If you're free, it might be a good chance to get to know each other. After all, if seems like you'll be coming here plenty more times, which means we'll see each other often enough. What do you say?"

"Sounds like a plan to me" the doctor said. "I'll treat, so why not come along?"

Luze shook his head. "I have work to do and I'm not one to accept favors" he said. "I'm sorry, but I can't go with- please excuse me for a moment, this is my mast-boss."

"Take your time" the doctor said, waving his hand dismissively as Luze fished the cell phone out of his pocket. He glanced hesitantly at the two humans before finally realizing that they weren't going to leave.

"Took you a moment this time." Reiga's voice sounded half amused, half inquisitive. "Did you meet with the other two?"

"Yes" Luze replied, keeping a wary eye on Ren and his father. He'd have to be extremely careful with his words if he didn't want everything to fall apart right there and then.

"Did they say anything of note?" That was it: he'd just have to let the necromancer ask all the questions. He wouldn't need to provide any extra details that way.

"No, not really" he said. "Did they contact you?"

"Yes, Elegy told me of the other pair of guardians. Why did you decline to take care of them?"

"It seems the task you gave me is not unrelated to the task my other employer gave me." Luze prayed Reiga would understand his cryptic responses. "I'm afraid I just couldn't take anymore work until I at least figured out some of the mess I seem to have slipped into."

"I see…" Reiga paused. "You're the one with company this time, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Keep working and let me know what you find if you can. That Zweilt is someone we can't afford to take lightly, so I want to take her out as soon as possible."

"I'll keep you informed." With that, he hung up and turned back to the humans, who were both looking at him curiously.

The doctor gave a low whistle. "Working two jobs, that must be rough" he said. "You have a girl you want to marry or something?"

Luze blinked, that was certainly one question he hadn't been expecting. "No" he said slowly. "I don't have anyone, really."

"What do you mean?" The look of concern on the boy's face forced the Opast to answer.

"A large part of my childhood was spent away from my parents for various reasons" he explained. "I never formed much of a relationship with them, but I did have my older twin brother. We grew up apart, but he made every effort to see me whenever he could and we were generally happy. However, one day, he just left; he abandoned everything for his own selfish desires and left. I'm afraid I can't forgive him for that."

Ren cast his eyes to the ground. "You shouldn't say things like that" he said quietly.

"What?"

He shook his head. "Saying that you can't forgive your own brother? That's a horrible thing to say." He looked seriously at Luze. "No matter what happens, there should always be room for family in your heart. After all, you… you never know when you might lose them for good."

Luze looked at him, then sighed. "That's easier said than done" he said. Turning on his heel, he continued, "Thank you for the lunch offer, but I'll have to decline."

With that, he left the park, utterly frustrated with himself. He was Luze Crosszeria, for goodness's sake! He was Infernus's Blade King with the unbreakable heart of ice, yet here he was, talking to mere humans about his past! What the hell was wrong with him?

He needed a fix and he needed it fast; something to remind him of who he really was. Of course, the easiest thing to do would be to just kill a few humans, but Reiga wouldn't want him to cause trouble like that. There was also the fact that ordinary humans died far too quickly.

A car passed by him, traveling in the opposite direction of his feet. However, a quick glance into one of the back windows revealed two figures to him. One was unfamiliar, but the other was his target in all her raven-haired glory.

Yes, that was it, that was what he needed: to fight. He could take out his frustrations on the Zweilt and maybe even get some information out of her in the process. She was somehow tied up in this convoluted web and Luze had a strong feeling that what information she gave him could probably solve his mystery. All he had to do was ask the right questions.

There was, of course, the difficulty of getting her to tell him something in the first place, but he wasn't too worried about that. After all, he was indeed an Opast, persuasion was supposed to come easy to him**.**


	11. Height Differences

**AN: Mata Eigo? = English Again? It's pretty informal Japanese, but that's generally how friends speak to each other.  
**

**11: Height Differences**

"Damn that bastard to hell!"

"Mata Eigo?" Kyoko asked. "You were swearing again too."

Kai glared at her desk. "A rather troublesome member of the family returned a couple weeks ago" she grumbled. "He pisses me off, what with his flaunting his height and standing over me like a damn vulture whenever he can!"

"You're particular about height?" Her friend giggled. "I'm surprised. You're on the taller side yourself, so I thought it wouldn't matter to you."

"It does when the asshole is a ways above me" Kai seethed. "He's such a pain. We've always been at odds, it's true, but I just can't stand him!"

"I suppose it's hard to ignore him when you live the guy, isn't it?" Kyoko asked as they left the classroom for lunch. "I'm amazed you haven't killed Renjou yet."

Kai laughed this time. "Hotsuma can be annoying, sure," she said. "but we're pretty okay with each other so long as our tempers don't get in the way. It's the same with Kuroto too."

Kyoko shrugged. "Well, guess what?"

"What?"

"My dad got through to your boss!" she said excitedly. "I get to see you guys at work!"

That caught her attention. Was Takashiro insane? He was legitimately going to put a high school student in harm's way just so she could observe? The thought of it made Kai sigh and shake her head.

"I'll pray that nothing big happens" she said. At Kyoko's indignant look, she continued "look, what we do is far more dangerous that you could imagine and I don't want you getting hurt, alright?"

"Idiot, that's why dad's making sure I watch from the office" the orange-haired girl huffed. But she perked up a bit as they made their way to the grounds, since her special someone was waiting for her.

Haru was definitely a character. He was just as eccentric as his girlfriend and just as obsessed with the supernatural. He claimed his white hair was the product of being scared by a ghost in his childhood, but the black roots that poked through at times stated otherwise. Upon her first meeting him, Kai had been forced to sit through a long-winded explanation of how Haru came from a long line of exorcists and ghost-whispers. He even claimed to be psychic.

"Hey! There's my ghost-hunter!" he said, pecking Kyoko on the cheek as she sat down next to him. "And hello to you too, miss doubtful."

Kai smirked. "You have yet to tell me what goes on in my head" she said. "And I am eternally thankful that that is the case."

He laughed. "One of these day, Kai, just you wait! I'll prove you wrong" he said.

"Want to here my prediction?" Botan, another ghost-believer and one of Haru's best friends, asked.

"Let me guess, brother," Hayate, his twin, said. "You predict annoyance for at least one of our fine lady friends here, don't you?"

"Indeed I do, brother," Botan replied.

"And here comes the banshee herself" Haru said, nodding to the blonde sauntering over to them.

"Oh, Kirihara! I've been meaning to tell you about this" she said, holding out something to her. "It was taken after the concert in Akihabara. He's such a handsome devil, isn't it?"

Kai looked at the picture and nearly choked on her food. It wasn't so much seeing her brother in front of her, since that was certainly a pleasant occurrence. No, it was seeing the class representative draped over him like a frilly pink curtain. She didn't half to be his twin to know that he was very uncomfortable with the situation, what with the forced smile on his face.

"Oh he was ADORABLE!" Arisa was bragging now. "He even said he'd look for me at his next concert! I can't wait until then!"

Quickly as she had come, she bounced away, leaving the five of them to really not give a damn. That is, until Kyoko spoke up.

"You didn't tell me you had a twin" she said, looking at Kai.

"Whoa, really? That was him?" Haru asked. "I thought it was a coincidence."

"That's so cool that he's a professional violinist" the twins said in unison. "Guess your family's destined for fame, eh?"

"Maybe" Kai said. "But, yeah, Ren's about thirty minutes older than me. We don't see each other much now because of my current living situation, but we've always been close." She smiled. "I do anything for him."

"You guys have twin telepathy or something like that?" Haru asked eagerly.

She laughed. "I think all twins do to some degree" she said. "For Ren and me, though, it's a bit different. The reason for our closeness isn't really telepathy or anything like that, I supported Ren through most of his childhood, that's where it came from."

"Support?" Once again, Botan and Hayate were in unison.

Kai nodded. "Ren has a weak constitution and he's blind" she explained. "As the healthy one, I had to be there for him."

"Sounds tough" Kyoko said. "It must be hard not living with him anymore."

"Yeah" Kai admitted. "I get by, though, so it's alright. Oh, hold on" she added, digging her phone out of her pocket. She raised an eyebrow at the screen, then shook her head again and returned the device to her skirt pocket. Getting to her feet, she said "let's go, Kyoko, there's a car waiting for us outside the gate."

"Finally!" Kyoko jumped up. "Sorry, Haru, I have to run."

"Don't tell me I'm loosing you to the Society of Silver Rings!" he cried.

"The what?" Kai asked.

"You honestly think I'm the only one who noticed you guys all where those rings?" Kyoko demanded. "We're not as dense as the rest of the school in case you haven't noticed."

"Duly noted" Kai replied dryly. Once they were in the car, she asked "did you tell them about World End?"

Kyoko shook her head. "No, of course not" she replied. "The guys just think you're all part of secret organization. I mean, you are, but they're convinced you all hold séances after school."

"Lady Kaida?" Kai looked up as the driver spoke. "Lord Takashiro asked me to tell you that two more guardians will be meeting you at the police department. He said he knows you should be capable of handling the task, but that they're coming along as added security."

"Thank you."

"Lady?" Kyoko looked at her incredulously. "You guys must be the elite."

"The Giou Clan puts every effort into taking care of those like Lady Kaida" the driver explained. "They are the only ones who can handle the culprits behind the unknown cases and we appreciate how much they do for us. Our use of titles only mirrors the respect and admiration we hold for them."

"So you are the elite."

Kai shrugged. "Our job isn't easy, I'll give it that" she said. "You'll see when we get to the police department, though."

Once they got to the building, Kai smiled. It had been so long since she'd actually been able to take a mission and now it was finally happening again. Her excitement built up as they traveled up to the twentieth floor and she felt ready for anything…

… except for what awaited her in Takashiro's office.

"Oh, you're kidding me" she said, crossing her arms and raising and eyebrow at Takashiro, who smiled innocently from behind his desk.

"Now, now, Kai, don't be like that in front of your friend" he said, standing so he could walk over to them. He held out his hand to Kyoko. "My name is Giou Takashiro" he said. "I'm head of the Giou Clan and World End. As you know, I work with your father on the Unknown Cases."

Kyoko nodded. "Nice to meet you" she said, then glanced behind him. "Um, sorry but… aren't those two… rather famous?"

"I suppose our presence would surprise you." Kai rolled her eyes as Sairi stood up from the couch. She nearly vomited as he kissed her friend's hand. "As I'm sure you've guessed, my name is Shinmei Sairi." Gesturing to Ria, he added "this is my partner."

"Otona Ria" she said with a bright smile. "Your hair's so interesting, by the way, I didn't think Kai would concede to hang with someone so creative."

"Ria" Kai growled warningly. To Takashiro, she said "they don't need to be here."

"This is for added caution, Kai" he said, nodding to where Kyoko had gone to stand with her father. "We can't have anyone getting hurt."

"Then why…? Never mind" Kai said. "Can we get on with it?"

"Yes" Takashiro handed her the case file. "It's definitely in our jurisdiction. There's a serial killer going around who has been targeting high school girls. The thing is, all the victims that have been found looked like they had just crumbled where they stood; literally crumbled, as though they had been turned to stone beforehand."

"Then they reverted back to flesh after he was gone" Kai said quietly, scanning the file. "Disgusting, but I think you're right, this is definitely our area of expertise."

"Hang on, I know that girl" Kyoko had come over and was looking at the file over her shoulder. "She was in my class in middle school… and so was she… heck, all these girls went to middle school with me. I didn't know them well, but they were all very good friends, so I wasn't surprised when they all picked the same high school." She looked at Kai. "They were like the class rep, walking around with their noses in the air and such, but I can't think of a reason for them to die like this."

"Did they get on someone's bad side?" Ria asked. "That could help us identify the killer."

"Well, they were on a lot of people's bad side" Kyoko explained. "The only person I remember them bullying, though, was Honda Riki."

"What happened?" Sairi asked.

"He was considered one of those bottom-of-the-food-chain nerdy guys" she explained. "Even so, he worked up the guts to ask Yui, victim number four, to be his girlfriend. They never let him live it down after that."

"But that puts us at a dead end" Kai said. "These four girls are all dead, meaning there aren't anymore targets for this Riki guy."

"Did he pursue anyone else?" Takashiro asked Kyoko.

She blushed slightly. "Well, we got along pretty well in middle school, but I never saw him as more than a friend. He did ask me out, but is wasn't until the end of third year and I was going to Izumimari Academy for sure at that time. I turned him down gently, though, and he seemed pretty okay with it."

"Still, who knows what the Duras's influence might make him do." Luka and Yuki had just entered the room. "Sorry we're late" the Opast added to Takashiro.

"No matter" Takashiro replied. "I want you to guard Yuki here for now, that's all." He turned to the teen. "You'll be on standby in case anyone gets injured."

"Yes" He smiled at Kai. "I heard I'll actually get to see you fight, Kai!" he said excitedly. "I hope all that rehabilitation training did it's job."

She laughed. "It certainly did" she assured him.

"We need to figure out a plan of attack" Sairi said, not looking at Luka. "Kai, if you're friend is Riki's next target, it seems only proper that you remain on standby to protect her. In the meantime, Ria and I will handle the Duras."

"As much as I agree that Kyoko needs to be protected," Takashiro cut in. "do you honestly think Kai will sit back and wait while her friend's in danger?" He shook his head. "Here's the plan: I already detected the Duras relatively near this location. Once he senses Kyoko, he'll surely start after her, but Kai will be with her to stop his initial attack. Should he somehow slip through her, then you and Ria will step in, got it?"

"Hang on!" The detective Kai assumed to be Kyoko's father stepped forward. His face was contorted in a mix of anger and fear, but his voice was even as he said "you are NOT using MY daughter as bait for some cock-and-bull demon hunt! Hell, you don't even know if it IS this guy! See sense, Giou! You cannot solve this kind of case based on an assumption! What if you're wrong?"

"As much as I don't want to put Kyoko in danger," Kai began. "I'm afraid this is how we have to do things. I know it goes against your detective's principles, but working with Duras is different from working with human criminals."

"Kai? What exactly is a… Duras?" Kyoko asked.

"Demons." Sairi cut in before Kai even had a chance to open her mouth. "They prey on the darkness within people's hearts. That guy you described to us seems to fit the job description, so that's why we're taking this chance."

"Our job is to take out Duras" Ria explained. "Normally we work in partners, like me and Sairi here, but Kai's a little different; she works as her own partner, you see."

"That reminds me" Yuki stuck his hand in his pocket, taking out a necklace a moment later. Handing it to her, he said "Takashiro told me that anything I make will act as a talisman for you, so here you are, your own protection charm. I thought that stone would suit you best."

Kai smiled as she took it. The silver cross hung on a delicate, yet strong chain and the black engravings set the violet stone in the middle quite nicely.

"Amethyst, huh?" she said, touching the gem lightly with her finger. "Thanks, Yuki, I'll treasure it forever." With that she wrapped the chain twice around her neck before letting the charm come to rest just below her collar bone. After she had replaced her school tie over it, she turned to Kyoko and her father, saying "I promise you, both of you, that I will do everything within my power to take down the Duras with as quickly as possible. This is the best, and probably only opportunity that we have; will you let us take it?"

After a long moment of silence, the detective finally sighed. "Fine" he said. "However, if any, ANY harm comes to my daughter, I won't let any of you forget it."

"Thank you" Takashiro replied, ignoring his threat. Addressing the others, he said "Kai, you and Kyoko go wait outside in the park adjacent to this building. Sairi and Ria, hide out in the forest and keep an eye on the proceedings, but take care to hide your presences as well. As for you two," he turned to Yuki and Luka, "I want you both to come and wait with me. Of course, you will be coming as well, won't you, detectives?"

"Damn right we are" Kyoko's father said vehemently.

"Right" Takashiro turned back to Kai. "I'm going to have Sairi establish the barrier so that you can have the full of your energy for battle" he explained. "I don't know how his powers work, but do not let the Duras touch you in any case."

She nodded. "Let's go, Kyoko."

They proceeded outside with Sairi and Ria, who split off from them to go take their positions in the forest. Meanwhile, Kai and Kyoko went and sat by the fountain in the park, the act of which confused the latter.

"Why are we just sitting here?" she asked. "Don't you, you know, need to fight?"

Kai gave her and amused smile. "Give me more credit than that" she said. "I can jump into action fast enough. Besides, we need to lure the Duras into a false sense of security so he won't suspect anything when I move in on him."

"What did Ria mean? She said you were your 'own partner'."

She looked away from the orange-haired girl, preferring to focus on the water in the fountain. "Normally, each half of the pairs is meant to perform a different job in battle. However, because of… various things, I can perform both on my own. That's a really shortened version of it, but I can't give you all the details."

"I guess I'll see when you fight, won't I?" Kai could tell Kyoko was trying to be brave, what with her ever-present smile, but she couldn't summon any words to calm her friend's nerves. The simple fact of the matter was that fighting Duras, to an ordinary human, was definitely a scary ordeal. Kai could only imagine the things that must be going through Kyoko's head; after all, she was the bait in the situation and that couldn't be an easy thing to cope with.

"Kyoko?" They both looked up sharply. A boy around their age had just stepped out from the trees. He was tall and rather lanky, with mousy brown hair and glasses lying haphazardly across his nose. His jeans were worn and dirty and his red sweatshirt and sneakers weren't in any better shape.

"Riki…" Kyoko followed Kai's lead and stood up slowly.

"Kyoko!" Riki smiled, a perfectly jovial smile, but Kai could sense that there was something off about it. There was no mistake: this boy was their target.

He strode toward them, still grinning broadly. "It's been so long" he said. "I haven't seen you since the last day of middle school!" Tilting his head to one side, he took in her uniform. "So you really did transfer to that academy" he said, then looked inquisitively at Kai. "A classmate?"

"Y-yeah" Kyoko replied hesitantly. "She's my friend."

"Friend?" Riki looked as though he was unfamiliar with the word. A shadow of something passed over his face, but it was gone as he laughed, saying "so you made friends, did you? I'm so happy for you, Kyoko! Tell me, how many? How many friends do you have?"

"F-four really close ones" Kyoko said. Kai blinked in surprise, not expecting to be included in the sum after less than a month. It made her somewhat happy to hear that, though.

"You're lucky." Riki was speaking again. "I don't have any friends, not after Yui turned me down and humiliated me." He laughed this time, a harsh, maniacal laugh. "But I did it! I got revenge for what she did to me! She's dead now! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"You…so you DID kill them!" Kyoko squeaked, stepping back behind Kai.

"And it felt good!" Riki cried. Taking another step forward, he continued "you turned me down too, Kyoko, but you weren't like Yui and her little gang. No, you were nice, you brought my feelings into consideration. You don't need to die too, Kyoko, honest. Just come and be my girl and it'll all be fine. You're little friend won't need to die either if you just agree to be my girl. Come on, say it, say you'll be mine, I don't want to turn you into a statue."

"Sorry," Kai cut in, stepping forward. "but she's not about to become yours, nor will you kill her." She stretched out her arm. The ring on her right hand began to glow with a soft light as she said "come forth, Dioscuri."

A long Katana materialized in her hand, but its blade was not like that of traditional make. Its blade, although single-edged, did not form to the characteristic curve, but remained straight like its European counterparts. The metal of which the blade was comprised was not that of normal steel, but of something much more precious. Its silver sheen was far lighter, far brighter than any earthly metal and shone with a radiance like starlight; even the black guard was in the shape of a starburst, as if to match its blade's brilliance. The hilt itself was also black, but it was wrapped in a silvery fabric which it poked through in diamond-shaped intervals. In short, it was a beautiful weapon.

"That sword…" Riki leaned forward, a menacing grin on his face. "I see, I've heard of people like you: idiots who think they're a match for us." He laughed. "You're one of the Giou Zweilts, aren't you?"

Kai ignored him, instead lunging at the Duras. Takashiro's magic had kept her body from deteriorating and, as a result, her muscles had grown stronger, allowing her to move at a faster speed than before. However, even with the rehabilitation training, she had to be careful in order not to harm the human hostage too much. Unfortunately, a little injury was inevitable in order to create an opening for exorcism.

He dodged as she swung at him, but was too late to move away from the backslash she aimed at his exposed torso. Spinning on her foot, she brought the blade around toward his back, forcing him to summon his own weapon in order to block it. After a brief struggle, he sprang away, panting.

"You're good" he said grudgingly.

"It's not over yet."

He grinned. "NOT UNTIL YOU'RE DEAD!"

He lunged at her, but at the last moment he switched up his tactic and bore right, slashing widely at her exposed left side. He let out a cry of triumph as it was about to slice her in half.

"Nice try." Kai smirked as he stared at her. Holding up her hand, she showed him the black metal arm guard on her left forearm. The studs embedded in it were made of the same metal as the blade in her right hand. The light with which they had been glowing before faded as the translucent silver shield disappeared.

"I see," The Duras took a step back. "so your left ring creates a shield while your right creates a sword. That makes you only capable of offense! You can't exorcise me from this human!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself." Kai placed two fingers on the Katana. Sweeping them across the blade, she murmured "Castor ad Pollux", after which the silver shifted, gradually darkening into deep, midnight blue. The blade became translucent, with shimmering silver lights floating in it like tiny stars.

Once again, she lunged, this time plunging her blade straight into Riki's stomach. The Duras inside of him let out a piercing scream, finally disappearing in a cloud of black shadows that danced around Riki's body once before fading into nothingness.

"Are you alright?" Kai asked, letting both sword and arm guard disappear as she helped the boy to his feet.

"How am I alive?" he asked wearily. "Y-you…"

"Pollux isn't meant to harm humans" she explained. "He purifies them of the Duras."

"But I should have died" he said quietly. "I killed Yui and her friends…"

"That wasn't you" Kyoko said as she came over to them. "That was the Duras inside of you." She smiled gently. "Riki, it's not your fault; the pain they put you through was something you shouldn't have suffered."

"But I let it get the best of me" he insisted. "I did nothing to stop it! I'm nothing, worthless!"

"The darkness in you has been obliterated" Kai said. "If anything, consider this a new start. You've got two sturdy legs, so use them to move forward. Go forward and prove to the world that you are something, that you aren't worthless."

"She's right" Kyoko said gently. To Kai, she asked "how come you didn't use that other blade from the beginning? If it's meant to purify, why fight at all?"

Kai looked down at her rings. "Pollux purifies by extracting the Duras and pulling it into its blade, where it absorbs its power and uses it to strengthen Castor. If I don't beat the Duras down just a bit, there's a risk of it resisting Pollux's pull and thus tearing free. That can cause more harm than help if I'm not careful."

"It was amazing, though, seeing you fight." Kyoko looked at her in awe. "I can't believe that it's part of your life."

"It's not part of my life, it is my life" Kai corrected her. "I was destined for this from the day I was b-!"

"What is it?" Kyoko asked.

"Is something wrong?" Came Riki's voice.

"Quiet" Kai said quickly. Closing her eyes, she stretched out her mind. After touching the consciousnesses of the Riki and Kyoko beside her, she noticed the prominent lack of Ria's and Sairi's. In fact, she couldn't sense anything else, she was being blocked by something.

A barrier.

"GET BACK!" Kai was just in time to block the blade aimed at her before it hit, summoning her shield before it could slice off her arm. The force was still enough to through her back several feet, where she skidded to a halt, staring in shock and confusion as her opponent came into view.

It was Luka's brother.

"You move well" he said, moving further into the clearing. The nonchalance with which he walked was almost insulting and it made Kai want to punch him right then and there. Then again, her annoyance may also have been due to the fact that the Opast stood several centimeters above Sairi, allowing him to stand even further above her than the retired actor.

"What do you want?" she demanded, summoning Castor back to her hand.

"I happened to be in the area" came his smooth reply. Kai couldn't help it, she found each word out of the Opast's mouth was just that much more unnerving. The subtle arrogance in his speech as well as his aloofness were a little too much like Luka. Even the grace of his actions and the reserved quality of his mannerisms reminded her of her Duras ally.

And yet there was something else, something less obvious, setting her on edge. As the Duras came closer and she began to gain a better feel of his aura, she found that it was, for some reason, strikingly familiar. True, she had met him once before, but that meeting had been so brief that there was no way it would create such a strong sense of familiarity in her. Something had to have happened between them, but what was it.

_This feeling… could it have something to do with what happened two years ago?_

"H-hey!" Riki's frightened voice broke through her thoughts. He was pointing at the Opast with a shaking finger, his eyes wide with horror as he said "You need to get away from him! The guy who took me over told me about people like him! He said if he killed one more person, then absorbed me, he would level up to become like that guy over there! He's super dangerous, you can't possibly think of fighting him!"

"Kai, who is he?" Kyoko asked, no longer attempting to be brave. "He looks just like that guy who was with Giou earlier."

"So Luka's here, is he?" Kai wheeled back to face her opponent. He had redoubled his grip on the sword in his hand and looked anxious to start something. "We ought to begin before that traitor decides to interrupt us. Don't worry, I'm prepared to make it worth your while."

"And how do you plan to do that?" The prospect of a fighting an Opast was indeed a tempting one, considering how much she liked to challenge herself. However, she needed to consider the practicalities. True, taking this guy down would rid them of a troublesome enemy and cut one more Opast out of Reiga's force, but she couldn't just ignore the fact that he had indeed sought her out. There was something he wanted and she needed to know what it was before deciding the best course of action to take.

The smirk on his lips was also a little too Luka-like as he said "Although I'm not much of a gambler, I thought it'd be interesting to place bets on this battle. If you win, you can ask any two questions of me that I will have to answer in complete detail. If I win, you have to do the same. If we are interrupted or somehow end up in another sort of draw, neither of us will have our questions answered."

So he wanted information, but his terms had failed to address one rather important point. "What about afterward?" she asked. "If you win, what guarantee do I have that you won't kill me right after I give the information you ask for?"

"You have my word as a soldier of Infernus that I will not kill you" he said. "Whether or not you can trust that word is up to you. Believe it or not, I am considered to be the chivalrous type. To show how reasonable I can be, I'll even remove your friends from the battlefield."

"Wait!" Kyoko cried as he raised his hand to adjust the barrier. "Kai, you cannot be serious! Didn't you listen to Riki? He's far more dangerous than that… that Duras you just fought!"

Kai smiled reassuringly at her. "I already knew that" she said gently. "The Duras that had possessed Riki was something called a Mid-Villain. There are three general ranks: Nidatorehi at the weakest, Mid-Villains in the middle, and Opasts at the top. True, this guy before me is an Opast, but fighting them is part of my job. Besides" she looked back at her opponent, "I highly doubt I actually have the option of refusal."

"No, you don't" the Opast replied simply. "That is one area is which I'm not so chivalrous: I won't allow prey to run away. Now, before your friends delay us any further, let us begin."

She watched as Kyoko, mouth open in an unfinished protest, and Riki disappeared from sight. Once they were gone, she refocused her gaze on the Duras in front of her, flexing her grip on Castor as she slid into her stance.

"Care to remind me of your name?" she asked as he too took his stance.

"Luze" he replied. "And it would be polite for you to do the same."

"Kaida" she said. "I just have one question before we begin."

"And what would that be?" Luze asked.

"Why me?"

He smirked again. "Well now, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until the end of this battle to find that out."


	12. Their Grudge, Your Suffering, Her Soul,

**AN: Woot! Two Chapters in one day! This chapter puts us at the half-way point. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE CLIMAX, that comes closer to the end, we're still building up to it.  
**

**12: Their Grudge, Your Suffering, Her Soul, and Our Unspoken Words**

"What on earth…? That's not Sairi's barrier."

Luka watched as the detective who happened to be Kai's friend's father rounded on Takashiro. "What the hell do you mean?" he demanded. "Where is my daughter?"

"Luze" His quiet utterance of the name brought silence down on all of them. Yuki's incredulous stare was enough to tell him that his past lover was on the verge of collapsing with worry.

"Why?" the boy asked tentatively, bringing Luka's attention to the fact that his anger and frustration must be showing on his face. He replaced his neutral countenance as Yuki asked "why would he come here?"

"Could he have found out that Kai was the one the demon king attacked two years ago?" Takashiro asked seriously. "You told me he was here looking for something the sovereign lost when you met him last. I had my suspicions, but I didn't think he'd attack like this."

"I didn't think of that" Luka admitted. "However, Luze has always been extremely perceptive and his brain is among the best in Infernus, so I wouldn't be entirely surprised if that was the case."

"Then we need to help her!" Yuki cried, clutching his sleeve imploringly. "Luze is a General Class, isn't he? Kai doesn't stand a chance against him alone!"

"I wouldn't be so quick to say that" Takashiro said. "You saw how quickly she took down that Mid-Villain. Kai is definitely a force to be reckoned with, even for an Opast. She also has a good head on her shoulders, Yuki, she won't charge blindly into this battle without assessing all the probably outcomes."

"But Yuki does have a point" Luka said. "Luze may not be officially recognized as a General Class, but his skills are certainly of the same caliber. I never saw Kai fight much in the past, but even she will have difficulty against him, especially after just finishing her rehabilitation training."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were praising him." They all turned as Sairi and Ria joined them, a frightened boy they recognized as Riki and the anxious friend of Kai following behind them. The latter ran forward, bypassing her father and gripping Takashiro's sleeves desperately.

"You have to help her!" she cried. "Kai's in huge trouble! That guy forced her into some sort of deal and then forced me and Riki out of the barrier. I could feel it, he's super strong and even though she told me it's her job to fight guys like him, I don't think Kai can handle the guy!"

"Hold on, slow down" Takashiro said quickly. "What deal did he force her into?"

"There was something about information" she explained. "If he won, he got to ask any two questions and Kai would have to answer in full details and vice versa. If there was a draw or they were interrupted, then neither of them would have their questions answered."

"He gave her his word he wouldn't kill her" Riki added. "He swore on his being an 'Opast of Infernus' –or something like that– but I don't know if we can believe him."

"He's your brother, Luka," Takashiro said. "Can we believe that he won't kill Kai after he gets what he wants."

He nodded. "Luze isn't the type to go back on his word" he said slowly. "However, just because he said he wouldn't kill her doesn't mean he'll return her to us. We have no guarantee he won't hand her over to Reiga or even the king himself after all this is over."

"We have to do something!" Yuki said. "If we interfere, then Kai doesn't have to give Luze information, right?"

"It will take time to dispel the barrier" Luka said grimly. "One of Luze's skills lies in creating strong shields and barriers. That's bad news for us."

"So it is" Takashiro agreed. "I don't have time to go to Kamakura and do it myself, either." He turned to Sairi and Ria. "I want you two to assault the barrier with everything you've got" he said, then turned back to the others. "Luka, you know Luze's magic better than anyone, so you work on a counter-spell. In the meantime, I will call Ibuki and ask her to take the helicopter and bring me The Key of Solomon. Yuki, you remain on standby."

There was a unanimous "yes, sir", then Luka took Yuki and went up to the top of the building.

"What are we doing up here?"

"This is the best place for me to try and break Luze's barrier" he explained, stretching his hand to the sky in order to begin the spell. "A hard enough hit from above should shatter it."

Although he was putting every physical effort into destroying the barrier, Luka's mind wandered to his brother. What had prompted Luze to do this? His twin was considered the calmer, the more prudent of the two of them, attacking like this simply wasn't like him. Had Takashiro been right? Had his brother guessed that Kai had been attacked by the Demon King two years ago? But, if so, how had he done so and why was he determined to bring her back to Infernus?

Was Luze somehow more deeply involved with the king that he had previously imagined? By the time Yuki had regained consciousness after first healing Kai, they had discovered that both Zweilt and God's Light had no memory of the events that had transpired during the healing session. Kai also had lost all memory of what had happened during the time she was comatose. However, she could remember vaguely that someone had been taking care of her during that time, though she couldn't remember his face.

Had that attendant been Luze?

But when had this all been planned? And why Luze? Of all things, Luka did not want his brother to have frequent contact with the king on any grounds. He alone knew what the sovereign was truly like, having been his slave for over a century, and he did not want Luze to share that experience. As wont as he was to admit it out loud, Luka cared deeply about his little brother. After all, they were twins, two halves of one whole, and it was his job to protect the younger half, the more vulnerable half.

_Luze, I never thought I'd think this, but I'm actually glad you've contracted with Reiga._

As long as Luze held a contract with the necromancer, the king couldn't touch him. However, given that the king was the most powerful Opast in existence, that probably wouldn't keep his brother safe if the sovereign decided to get serious about anything.

A jolt, a small burst of energy, tore Luka away from his worrying. He had made a sizeable crack in the barrier, all it would take was just one more push and things would be over.

Muttering furiously under his breath, Luka did everything he could to speed the spell in order to finally destroy the barrier. Mentally cursing both the complexity of the spell and his brother's magical talent, he continued on until there was an almost earth-shattering crack and the blockade finally fell.

What met his eyes was not so pleasant. Even from his distance, with his Duras senses he could see the scene below quite clearly.

Kai was slumped against a tree, the scent of her blood mixing with Luze's as it hit his nose. His brother was still on his feet, but that wouldn't be the case for much longer, judging from how prominent the scent of his blood was.

"Yuki, stay here" he said shortly, leaving the bemused boy behind and rushing the scene just as Luze finally fell to his knees.

A weak laugh escaped from his brother's lips as he set eyes on him. "So it's the traitor coming to the rescue, is it?"

Luka pretended to ignore him as he inspected Kai's wounds. Most of the damage was under the surface: broken ribs, numerous bruises, a rapidly swelling right wrist with a dislocated right shoulder to match. However, the most grievous of the injuries was quite spectacularly on the outside.

Her left harm was hanging at an awkward angle, blood oozing from several large gashes and seeping into the already dark grass. The entirety of her uniform's sweater was gone and what was left of her button down was enough to preserve her modesty, but that was the extent of it.

He couldn't help himself, Kai's bloody excuse for an arm was too much. Rounding on Luze, he snarled "Using magic to scrape a quick win? That's low, especially for you, Luze."

"Y-you're wrong."

It wasn't Luze who spoke, but Kai. Her eyes were unfocused and her voice was weak from blood loss, but it had definitely been her that had spoken. With a sharp gasp of pain, she reached forward with her still-mobile right arm and touched Luka's hand gently.

"It wasn't him, Luka" she said, breathing heavily as she spoke. "It was someone else."

"Who?" he demanded, praying she would be able to answer before passing out. She need Yuki and she needed him badly. He shouldn't have left him back on the roof.

"Purists" this time Luze was talking. He was clutching at the bleeding gash in his chest, but he was certainly on firmer ground than Kai as he continued "a group of Purists, all of them Opasts, somehow slipped into the barrier. They attacked before we had much of a chance to defend ourselves."

There was something wrong with the way his brother was speaking; something off in his voice. It took him a moment to realize it, but Luka soon found that his brother was in some sort of shock.

"What happened?" he asked. "Did they say something? Luze, everyone knows they hate our clan with a passion. What could they have possibly said to throw you off like this?"

The Purists were a group of somewhat radical Duras who were inherently devoted to serving the king and upholding the laws of Infernus. They regarded the Crosszeria with particular hatred because of the crime their ancestor had committed so long ago. Unsurprisingly, they had been among the first and most abundant supporters of the Brand Zess punishment.

"Idiot, they didn't say anything that I couldn't ignore" Luze snapped. "I couldn't care less about Purists and their damn convoluted ideals." He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was much quieter. "No, it's that damn Zweilt over there. She –I don't get it –she leapt in front of me, tried to protect me. There were five of them on me at once, yet she thought she could throw off three. Her shield shattered and now look at her."

It was Kai's turn to laugh weakly. "My body sort of moved on it's own" she said. "All I knew was that I couldn't let you go down like that. Even an enemy doesn't deserve such a pathetic death by such an underhanded strategy. I… didn't want it to end like that…"

Luka watched warily as Kai's head fell back against the tree. She was still conscious, but just barely, but that didn't affect the steady flow of images that entered his head.

Luze and Kai were standing apart, uninjured.

"Care to remind me of your name?" Kai asked.

"Luze" his brother replied. "And it would be polite for you to do the same."

"Kaida" she said. "I just have one question before we begin."

"And what would that be?" Luze asked.

"Why me?"

His twin smirked. "Well now, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until the end of this battle to find that out."

"That hardly seems fare." Now Kai was smirking. "After all, you're forcing me into this fight. The least you could do is answer that small question before we begin."

"You have a way with words" Luze said smoothly. Kai had aimed at his sense of chivalry and struck home. "I have and interest in you. Your presence has confounded me for quite some time now and I want get to the bottom of the mystery you have put upon me."

"So you want personal information" Kai said. "Sorry, but I'm not about to give that to you." She took her stance. "Show me what you've got, Opast. I'm no pushover."

They had gone at it for no more than two minutes before a blast of magical energy forced them apart.

"What the hell was that?" Kai demanded, skidding to a halt and looking at Luze.

Luze was just as confused as she was. "It wasn't me" he said. "I don't know what's going on, though. No one should have been able to get through my barrier so quickly. Oh, hell…"

The group of Purists had just emerged from the trees, grinning maliciously as Luze glared at them. They're leader, a blond man with a fetish for piercings, stepped forward, glancing at Kai for a moment before speaking to his twin.

"Luze Crosszeria, for the safety of Infernus and of our sovereign, the great Demon King, we have come to execute you. Cast aside your weapon and surrender, you're outnumbered and I doubt even the famous Blade King can stand against seven of his brethren."

"Executions cannot be carried out without due cause" Luze said, keeping a firm grip on his sword. "On what grounds have you come for my life?"

"Your Brand Zess is more than enough grounds" the leader replied coolly. "Not only that, you are the twin brother of Luka Crosszeria, the infamous Bloody Cross who abandoned the king for the Giou Clan, our enemies, and thereby becoming a traitor to Infernus. Killing you is a necessary precaution against a repeat of such treachery."

Luze's eyes widened in fury. "Are you saying that I'm going to commit the same crime as Luka?" he demanded.

"Twins tend to act in accordance to one another" the leader said. "You have already contracted with Reiga, a rogue Giou, and who's to say you won't take it a step further and join your brother?"

"Shut up." Kai had stepped forward now. She was glaring at the Purist with the same fire she had had when she had punched Luze all those weeks ago.

However, her voice was surprisingly even as she continued "you cannot judge a person by their siblings, even twins. Though they may be born together and may even look alike, they can develop in drastically different ways. Twins may be considered to halves of one whole, but that does make them the same person."

The leader laughed. "Look at you, Luze!" he roared. "You're being defended by a Zweilt! This is all too perfect! It's all too fitting for you right now."

"Stay out of this" Luze said to Kai. "I have nothing to do with you."

"You think I'll let you fight alone?" Kai demanded. "It's seven on one!"

"Regardless, this is none of your business!"

"If you're just going to argue, we'll be happy to end both of your lives in one go."

And so the battle had begun. Kai engaged two of the Opasts while Luze was assaulted by the other five. They both fought valiantly for several long minutes before Kai finally destroyed her opponents. Luze, however, let out a sharp cry of pain as the leading Purist slashed across his chest with a Kama. The pain of the blow brought Luka's brother to his knees, leaving him open to the final blow that was sure to come his way.

But then Kai was there, just in time to block the attack with the force of her double shield. The twin arm guards sparkled in the sunlight as the translucent silver barrier engulfed both Zweilt and Duras.

"Are you alright?" she asked, looking down at Luze.

"Why did you…?"

"I think the phrase 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' applies here" she replied. "And, come on, do you honestly think I'm going to let you die in such an unfair and unjustified fight?"

"But that shield won't protect you from the rear!" Luze just barely managed to beat down the two assailants who sprung at them from behind. After a few moments of struggling, they were gone in a whirl of dust.

"You're both skilled" the leader said. "and you seem to work well together." He smirked. "However, you have yet to beat the three of us and I will tell you know that we are significantly stronger than the others you defeated. It will be a pleasure killing you both."

The blast was brought on by the simultaneous spells of all three Purists. As Luze had told him earlier, Luka saw Kai's shield shattered. Fortunately, she had fought it off long enough for the spell to reduce considerably in power, but, as he had seen, the damage was still quite severe.

Kai had been thrown back against a tree, her breathing shallow and raspy as her blood began to stain the grass. Luka watched as Luze got shakily to his feet, glaring furiously at the Opasts as he snarled "that was a low blow, even for Purist dogs like you."

"How dare you call us dogs!" the leader cried. "It was your clan that-!"

He never finished his sentence, choking on his words as well as his blood as Luze plunged his blade into his stomach. One of the other Purists made a desperate attack to avenge his leader, but was cut down in less than an instant.

The final member of the party stepped back, panic contorting his face. "W-why would you go so far for a Zweilt?" he asked, struggling to steady his grip on his sword.

"Zweilt?" Luze cocked his head to one side. "I didn't kill your comrades to protect any Zweilt. I was merely punishing them for damaging the property of his royal highness. You, my friend, are just as guilty."

With a high pitched scream, the final Purist disappeared and Luka found himself back in present. Kai was looking at him from half-closed eyes. She was too weak to speak, but he could still hear the question she was unable to ask.

"What did you mean by 'property of his royal highness'?" Luka asked.

Luze blinked in surprise, then looked at Kai. "So that's part of her ability" he said quietly. To Luka, he said "I was surprised myself. That girl is so different from the one the king told me to take care of, yet I could tell during that battle that they are one and the same. Their souls are a perfect match."

He was about to ask what his brother meant when he heard Yuki's voice. The boy, along with Takashiro, Sairi, Ria, Kai's friend, Riki, and the detectives, ran toward them. Without stopping, Yuki went straight to Kai, who had finally slipped out of consciousness, and began tending to her injuries.

"What happened?" Takashiro demanded. "Did Kai lose?"

"No" Luka replied. Turning to Luze, he asked "I suppose it was a draw of some sort?"

Luze nodded, getting shakily to his feet. "So where do we stand?" he asked. "I'm in no condition to complete my mission for the king, but I can't let it go unfinished forever. What will you do? Will you kill your twin?"

Luka looked at him for a moment without saying anything. Finally, he sighed. "I'll let you go, today, Luze" he said. "However, you can expect the Giou Clan to put forth every effort into protecting its members, even if it means incurring the wrath of the Demon King." He paused, then continued "as you for you, Luze, I just want to warn you about something."

"And what would that be?" Luze asked, looking at him skeptically.

"Don't get too involved with the king" he said. "You don't know what he's capable of, what he can do if he decides he wants more from you. I say this for your sake: avoid the king as much as you possibly can."

There was a long pause, during which Luze simply looked at Luka, his gaze a mixture of anger and what very well looked like pity. They stood there, brother to brother, absolutely silent, until finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the younger twin spoke.

"You don't have to tell me what I already know."


	13. Notice

**Important Update to All Readers**

So, I'm happily settled into college, and working hard to build my major and get through my classes. It is understandable, therefore, that finding time for writing fanfics is a little difficult. Even so, I do have a couple in the works -or reworks. I'm going to write/finish/finalize work for the following series: The Betrayal Knows My Name (because I haven't finished even one version yet), D Gray-Man (because I owe it to myself), Bleach (because I have a fun plot line I'd like to work with, and I've never actually gone very far with writing for Bleach before), and _maybe_ Naruto (if I can keep the idea in my head long enough). As per usual, these will all have some version of my OC Kai, and other OCs will play parts in these fics as well (expect repeat performances from the names Haru, Akira, and Ren). I would like to stress, though, that this is not for lack of creativity, but for lack of energy to create any more new characters, especially when I fear I might bring in OCs from my book. That's right, folks, I'm writing a fantasy novel (I mean it, an actual novel with its own original plot and everything -holy sh*t, right?) and it's taken priority over writing with other people's characters. Still, every author needs a break from her own creations, and I consider working with "stock characters" a good break. That's why I will keep writing fanfiction for now. I do plan to finish each of the aforementioned stories, but updates will be slower, and it will take longer to get them done. All I ask for is your patience, and for you all not to be too hard on my when I hang up the long-term fanfiction hat permanently, which I will do when I finish the fanfics I've promised. I say long-term, though, because I may come back with a few shonen-ai oneshots every once in a while.

The long-term fics I am writing are final drafts of the following already published stories (sorted by series):

_( D Gray-Man)_

In Memoriam

Bound by the Symbol of Kegare

Forced Forbearance

Give Me a Reason

_(Betrayal/Uraboku)_

It's Just a Looking Glass

Where Hell Is a Good Thing

_(Bleach)_

Faded

These are the working titles for the upcoming fics, along with the intended pairings (subject to change):

_(D Gray-Man) _

Life Worth Living- KandaxOC (Maybe, it could end up just a friendship between the two of them).

_(Betrayal/Uraboku) _

Black on Black- LuzexOC (I'm actually really excited for this one)

_(Bleach) _

Security- OCxOC (heterosexual); OCxOC (homosexual) (Another one I'm pumped for)

_(Naruto)_

Fine Line- GaaraxOC (again, I may not write this. The idea isn't fully formed yet and I'm not as invested in the series as I once was).

I've already said it, but I'll reiterate: these are FINAL DRAFTS. If I haven't already completed them, I will NOT be finishing any of the already published stories that the finals are based off of. For that matter, I will not be finishing any other incomplete fics either. I simply don't have the time or inspiration.

As always, I appreciate your support. I won't delete my account, nor will I delete any previously written fics, as they serve as a reminder of how much I've improved as a writer. I hope you all will appreciate the new work coming your way. Nothing makes an author happier than receive feedback on her work. Thank you again, and I hope you're all excited for what's to come.

Feel free to message me with any questions!

~H


	14. Chapter 14

Please go to my account profile and read what's there- IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.


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